One Love, Endless Time
by Cass Ichirof
Summary: Bleach with a different approach. Can hollows have a heart, if so can they lose it? Ichigo passed long ago. A distraught Shirosaki and a portion of the Quincy King Juhabach have lived on for centuries waiting for a chance at Ichigo's rebirth. Will Ichigo be reborn? Will he be the same person they once knew? Plan is for the story to come close to the actual anime/manga at intervals.
1. Chapter 1

**One Love, Endless Time**

 _Hello everyone!_

 _My very first, well, pretty much my very first of everything (first fiction, first story, first yaoi you name it xD)._

 _Anyway, here comes nothing. Hope you'll like it! Almost forgot to mention, this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC._

 ** _For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea_** _!_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age readers. Read at your own risk and discretion! Please don't hate too much if you don't like._

* * *

 _Chapter I_

A beautiful sunrise shone brightly, indicating the beginning of what one could call a perfect and marvelous day. The forecast the night before called forth a raining day. Still the clear and cloudless skies promised a simple and warm sunny day. There was nothing to indicate this day would be different from any other.

This same sun fell upon light blue curtains of a certain room, where a lone figure started to stir and wake up from another dreamless night. Should one look attentively upon the form of this individual, they might be surprised. For on the bed was a person so pale it might be mistaken for a ghost, not that you could see it in full since the person was wrapped in a dark blue cover. Only a head of what looked like a sleeping human was visible. A pale face was surrounded by its hair white as freshly fallen snow. The front was short and would appear it was trying to hide the paleness of the individuals' face, but was only able to hide the owner's eyes from view. The back was long and cascading to almost halfway the persons length.

The sun won the battle against the sleeping figure who finally decided to rise from its slumber, stretching its, now visible, lithe and muscular arms which were hugged by a loosely fit black sleeping shirt. Concluding that it was better to stand, our individual stood from its bed now fully able to stretch and pop it's back. A slight yet pleased groan left pale lips. The, now revealed male opened his eyes. Golden mesmerizing eyes stood out from the black sea of their sclera. The male seemed to glow even lighter due to the dark clothing adorning his muscular yet slim frame. The aforementioned back shirt allowed just a small peak at the chiseled chest at its V-neck line. Strong arms with black fingernails were visible from the short sleeves and massaging the last residues of sleep from the man's face. Robust legs were caressed by slack denim-blue trousers with white stripes on the sides. Not bad for a guy at 6'0.

The male seemed to exude an air of depression and loneliness which was a greatly noticeable contrast to the sun's efforts at radiating joy and warmth.

 _'Another day, another date crossed on an endless calendar. Sun's up and all, but I still feel numb. When was the last time I felt, well, anything? Guess it was back then, before I lost my heart. It's been over nine hundred years now. When will I see you again, better yet will I meet you again? Will we ever find each other? Will you even be reborn? Wish I could have saved you back then. Maybe I should think of ending it. I know you'd be mad at me for thinking like this, but I'm not sure how long I can continue this way either.'_

His train of thoughts was disrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come on in Ossan."

The opened door revealed another male. This one looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. He has mid-length scruffy brown hair, pale skin (not as pale as the other person though) high cheekbones finely emphasized by his light brown stubble. At his striking 6'7 the man's lean-built was only heightened by his attire: a white buttoned-up shirt with long sleeves, black tight-fitting slacks which hid underneath black Funtasma Gotham 109 Military Victorian knee boots. His face and posture showed nothing but a calm and stoic demeanor. Though, if you were to closely look into his blue eyes, you could see wisdom beyond his age along with twinge of what could be a bit of mayhem and sadness.

"Good morning Shirosaki. Ready for a change of scenery?"

The now identified Shirosaki forced a smirk on his otherwise bored face.

"Is it already time to change locations? Ha! It feels like we are doing nothing else. Get to a place, settle and move again. Well that, and getting rid of nutcase hollows." A loud sigh escaped pale lips. "Ossan, I hate to admit it, but this is getting too repetitive. Not to mention, I… I'm not sure I want to continue like this. What's the point?"

A concerned look passed through the stoic man followed by an exasperated exhale. "Shirosaki, must we go through this again? Need I remind you of the promise you made?"

Shirosaki gave a small anger fueled growl, but soon, too soon for the other males' comfort, turned to a defeated and miserable frown.

"What's the point anymore, Ossan? He was utterly destroyed. You saw it with your own eyes. He… You know this, maybe even better than even I… _He_ is not coming back. His soul was entirely demolished and smashed into all those reiatsu particles. Nothing could possibly repair such damage and you know it! He is probably nothing but part of the reishi in this world."

The dubbed 'Ossan' looked at his charge with a distraught look. He too remembered that day so long ago, the day Shirosaki became his responsibility and through the times a partner in arms. There was no pity in his eyes, only understanding, for he too lost someone precious on that accursed day. They both lost their most cherished one. Shirosaki lost his Sun. While he lost his most beloved family member. Mind you, that was not so far from the truth.

"I know you miss him. Even after all this time… I too miss him."

"Then let me just end all of this. Will you let me go? I don't know if it is possible at all, but maybe if I was to, you know, finish myself off, I… I could get the chance to see him again. Maybe, just maybe, we can be reunited. If nothing else, then at least I won't have to hurt anymore."

'Ossan' closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. He knew the whole discussion by heart. Shirosaki was, as always, undoubtedly right in this debate. It was also his life and he could do as he pleased. Still, there was always that one tread of hope he always held on to. The mere chance for _his_ rebirth. He strongly believed that _he_ would be back one way or another. The mere fact that he himself lived and was here right now was more than enough proof to keep on holding tightly to that sliver of hope.

Breathing out he had his response. "Shirosaki, you know I could never hold you from doing as you please with your own life. However, please just consider the detail that I am still here. If there was really no possibility for his return, I can guarantee you I would not be present right now and we would not be having this conversation in the first place."

Shirosaki crossed his arms on his chest and puffed out in slight annoyance. Yet, deep inside he felt reassured once again. He knew the circumstances which allowed Ossan to be present, not to mention 'visible' to the population around him. He will never admit it out loud, but he grew fond of the man, even before _his_ death. Shirosaki could still not believe they truly became partners. After all, by nature, Ossan and himself are natural enemies, created to obliterate one another. And here they are over nine hundred years of partnership like a married couple. If he was not seeing this with his own eyes and experiencing it with his own senses, he would not have believed it was even possible. They were brought together by the same person they lost. Both tried and failed to protect the one individual they loved beyond reason. Ossan was right though and he did make a promise, so he should really try and continue. Perhaps someday he could find closure. But that was not today.

"Fine Ossan. So, where to this time? Do we have a destination or is it another spur of the moment?"

Outwardly the older man did not show any sign that the conversation had any effect on him. But on the inside, he knew, as he could not fool himself, he felt relieved. Shirosaki will still be around. Maybe it was just his selfishness that motivated the young man to continue forward. Or maybe just because Shirosaki looked so much alike his lost ward that drove him to keep him around. Whichever the case, he was truly glad and more at ease.

"We may end up moving a few more times in the next years as the jureichi is beginning its shifting. Though, chances are, we might return back to our roots."

Shock was clear as day on Shirosaki's face. Judging by Ossan's words, they would be going back to where it all had started. A soft smile traversed his face. To think he would have ended it all before going back. He was now more than happy Ossan was good at talking him out of his dark thoughts.

"What are we waiting for? An invitation? Or is there more to this?"

The taller male inwardly chuckled. His first thought was: 'Nothing can pass by him.'

"Nothing at the moment that I can confirm with accuracy, Shirosaki. Though, there is a possibility more could perchance appear. You never know, right?"

Shirosaki suspiciously looked at his partner. There was something hidden there within those blue eyes. _'Darn it all, I can never fully read him. After all this time and he is not even wearing his stupid sunglasses! There is more to this, of that I am sure. So, why does he keep it hidden? Could it be my imagination? Or is it just me being hopeful or paranoid? Whatever, I'll get to the bottom of this sooner or later.'_ His mind set-up, he was determined to start packing and figure out this new mystery.

"Very well Ossan. When are we leaving?" His notorious grin was back on his face.

The brown-haired male smirked at his companion. "Think you could be done within the next two hours? We've got a plane to catch up at Frankfurt airport. You might want to carry something to entertain yourself with, the flight will be about 11 hours and 10 minutes."

The grin faltered. "Seriously, why the hell do we bother with flights and the like? We can reach wherever we want in no time with my Garganta, or with your fancy whatever you call your thingy. Worst case scenario we can just use Hirenkyaku, Shunpo or Sonido and we can get anywhere faster that with a bloody plane."

"Things are a bit different in this time and you know it. There are borders, check-ups, documents and all kinds of laws. We can't just come out of the blue in a new country. Besides, it would just negate the purpose of having passports and waste our current documents."

"Yeah right. We are anyway due to making new docs within the next few years. And don't give me that waste of passports speech. We always get the full package anyway. You just want to use the plane because we did not fly on one of those yet."

"Since you know me so well, I assume there is no need for further explanations. Can we than cut through the chase and just figure out if you will be ready within the next two hours?"

Shirosaki just sneered and claimed he would be all packed within the hour. Not knowing that his partner had already anticipated such a response. Within the hour Shirosaki was ready, while his partner was already at the apartment door's exit talking with the taxi driver who would take them to the airport.

Shirosaki's previously troubled mind was relaxing through the whole drive. He was loath to admit it, but traveling the way regular humans did was always a new experience for the both of them. These sort of things were always different and unexpected, what with his looks and all. Some humans would be scared to death, while others would try to get into fights or arguments. One thing was for sure, it was never boring. Except this time the ride was to be over eleven hours. They had never traveled that long the human way. He was both looking forward and already pissed off by the very idea. Back when they left their original home, times were different and they did pop in and out as they pleased. As humans started with their inventions and the like, Ossan became more obsessed with what has been achieved and 'modernized' himself. Ossan was also the one taking care of their documents, finances and so forth. He seemed to always want to know how to use new accessories and gadgets.

Shirosaki was less inclined to all the new stuff, but he too would admit there were some really cool things out there. The first time he was introduced to electricity was one of those things that really blew his mind. Afterwards he became fond of electronics in general. Give him a dead computer, laptop or even an old cellphone and he would be able to re-build them from scratch. He learned he was really good with any handy-work, from electronics to carpentry. If something was broken or damaged, he could either fix it or find a way around it. Ironic, considering he was born to destroy.

Ossan, on the other hand, was better at following laws and was definitely a better cook. He even opened his own law firm back in the late 1800's and was able to be the CEO for 'generations'. In all of the years since he started the company, he never lost a case even once. He was and still is picky about his cases. And if he used his 'sixth sense' in some of the cases to assure some crazy or idiotic human was imprisoned, no one cared to notice. Shirosaki had questioned how did he stay CEO after all this time. But was sure a disguise or something was the trick Ossan used.

They've been alive for quite some time now. The world continued on and changed in weird ways, some for the better, some not so much. If only _he_ could have seen all this. Gloomy thoughts aside, he wondered how much the two of them were really worth. There was that bank account in Switzerland that could be passed to the 'next of kin' which meant they were always inheriting the money from their previous lives and added more cash from the 'new' lives. Names they did change from time to time. He had refused vehemently the idea of keeping their original name while adding the number at the end of the name. Heck, by now, they could have easily reached the title of 'The hundredth' with several names. Not that it was important. But sometimes when there was not much to do he would be curious.

Soon they reached the airport and paid the cab. Customs at the airport, oh joy. He was sure by the time they flew there would be many individuals with sore necks from all the heads turning in their direction. His looks did attract lots of attention weather it was wanted or not. All in all, it could have been worse. He remembered there was that guy back just a few years ago trying to exorcise him. Oh, and let's not forget those witch-hunters' maniacs from the 1500's. Those lunatics sure liked bonfires and fires in general. Not a fond memory. Europe went totally bat-shit crazy when two fanatics wrote that cursed _Malleus Maleficarum_ book. Really, like the whole witch hunting was not already bad enough, they also needed a book to fuel the already burning pyres. Meh, had he really wanted, he could have gone all out just for the fun of it. That would have been fun, but the whole allure flew out the moment he realized just how much Hollow activity it would have attracted. He had a promise to keep after all.

Soon after, they boarded the plane. Both males having brought some reading material to pass the time as they were not fond of watching movies on small screens. _'Ossan seems to be in high spirits. Guess he really wanted to fly on one of these contraptions. I really hope it won't be way too boring. Now that I think about it, I never asked him where in the hell we are going. He only said something about returning to our roots. Did he really mean we are going back home? Or just close by? Damn. I hope we'll be able to visit that place. It's been forever since we've been there.'_

"Ossan, can you tell me which will be our destination? You only said about going back to our roots."

"Hmm. I must confess Shirosaki, I expected the question much earlier than now. But to answer. We are going to Tokyo, Japan. Once there, we will be on the move for a few years. There are some things I would like to inspect more closely. Once that is out of the way, I would like to leave the decision to you. We can stay or we can be on the move again."

Shirosaki was speechless and surprised. He never expected Ossan to actually consider staying. Even less to leave the decision to his personal whims. Not that he missed how Ossan said he wanted to check something or **_things_**. Heh, he knew there was more to this than what the other wanted to lead him to believe. _'Oh, well. Beggars can't be choosers and all that. Even though he is letting me take the final choice. That's a nice change. So far, it had been more convenient to just let him decide where to go and for how long. I'll definitely use this opportunity to see that place again.'_

"Thanks, Ossan. Do I have to make a decision right away or can it wait until we finish whatever you have already planned?"

"There is absolutely no rush. We have plenty of time." Was the confident response. _'I'm glad I only took the one-way trip option rather than the round trip. I am almost sure the return tickets would have been a waste of time. I wonder if this was a good decision. Shirosaki's been more under the weather and way too unhappy. We'll see how things go from here on out.'_

With that final thought, Ossan resumed his reading, while occasionally glancing Shirosaki's way. It soon became clear that his charge seemed to at least feel better. Even his reiatsu felt more at peace which in turn made him content.

* * *

 _Alright peps. That's it for the first chapter. Chapter II will come out soon (at least I hope)._

 _Hope you liked this one and I am looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 _Just to let everyone know, English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know and I'll be more than happy to fix any slipups. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, but let me know if I missed something (I'm only human)._

 _A quick inquiry, should I write at the bottom of each chapter the unusual words and terms used? Like reiatsu, reishi, Hirenkyaku, Shunpo, Sonido and the likes? Let me know if you want me to be specific like that or if you all think it will be fine without xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello again everyone :)_

 _I could simply not stay away from this story for too long._

 _So here comes Chapter II._

 _Hope you liked it up to now and hope you'll love it further down the road._

 _A special THANK YOU to all who have read the story, and an even greater Special Thanks to all who are following and gave me my very first reviews (you know who you are xD)_

 _A friendly reminder: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! Please don't hate too much if you don't like._

I would like to dedicate this Chapter to **_herseybarrules_** for the motivation you gave me in writing even faster.

* * *

 _Chapter II_

The flight finally ended with just a few minutes of delay. Shirosaki was ecstatic to touch land again. He silently promised himself he would never again allow Ossan to drag him on such a long human transport. Six hours was the absolute maximum he would ever tolerate. At least, he had a blast with the Customs. Oh, the look on their faces was priceless. And let's not forget Ossan's glare; delicious! Too bad he could not take a few pictures. But he did have a photographic memory, so no harm done. He could always find ways to bug Ossan. Thinking about it, it's been a long time since he felt the need to annoy him.

Must be the fresh air or the fact that they were back. Who knew he missed this place so much? He sure never thought about it before. After _his_ death, he could not or, maybe, did not want to be there anymore. Thus, Ossan did what he does best and dragged him all over the planet. They did spend most of their time in Europe. It was easy to slip from one place to the other and, as an added bonus, it never required too much traveling weather on a human pace or with their contraptions.

Exiting the airport Shirosaki closed his eyes, took a deep breath and softly whispered: "Tadaima."

As thought he had been heard a gentle breeze caressed his frame, seemingly carrying with it the response he yearned to hear: "Okaeri." Unknowingly a smile settled on his features.

Just a few steps behind stood the ever stoic Ossan. He would never admit it, not even to himself, but to see that smile on Shirosaki's face was bliss. It was not the usual frown nor his manic grin, but a real smile. Come to think of it, this was the first smile he saw on the others' expression since _his_ demise.

If he was unsure before, now there were no doubts, this was the right decision. He had contemplated leaving Shirosaki behind while he made his research. He did that on a few occasions in the past, not that he told him. To see an actual smile… Yes, this felt right. He would vehemently deny should one tell him that he had been tense due to not knowing what would be Shirosaki's reaction. Unknown to either males the anxiety in their hearts lifted up and both were, for now, stress-free.

While waiting for Shirosaki to exit his calm trance, he considered the next phase of their journey. The journey ahead should not take too much time. The first stop would be Yokohama. He purchased a black Rover SD1 Vitesse with dark red outlines for their stay in Japan. As per his request, it should be parked close by. Looking around he noticed the car just a few paces on the left. Now the question was, should he call Shirosaki or let him get reacquainted with his surroundings?

He was brought out of his musing by his partners voice. "Oi, Ossan. Where to next?"

Trust Shirosaki to pull him out from him pensive mind.

"We're going to Yokohama." His thoughts in turmoil for the briefest of seconds. Ossan was not sure what he would find there which disturbed him to no ends. Even at this distance, he should have been able to sense them.

Shirosaki who was very familiar with Ossan's behavior frowned. _'There it is again, that look. He's definitely hiding something. Heh, as long as I know he is keeping things from me, I know to be even more alert than usual.'_ He pulled out one of his smirks: "Well then, partner, let's get on the road, ne?" He did notice how Ossan had looked at the black and red car on the left. Trust Ossan to choose those colors. Ossan had always been into black, red and white.

 _'Some things never change.'_

Still smirking, he took a firmer grip on his black and white medium sized luggage and started to drag his prone figure clad in black and white toward the Toyota. He was wearing a long white overcoat which reached to his knees, a black long-sleeved shirt with black slacks and black combat boots. Nothing better than to travel casual. Since Ossan did not follow him right away, as he normally would, he gave him one more shout to get going. Shirosaki was no mind reader, but you did not need a mentalist to know that whatever his companion was thinking about was wearing him down. Sooner or later he would find out, it was just a matter of patience and waiting. Not his strongest characteristics, but he knew Ossan well after all this time. He would get to the bottom of this mystery soon enough.

Mentioned Ossan unlocked the doors and trunk. Once their luggage was safely tucked away, they were on the move. The serene atmosphere from before was forgotten and replaced by unease which was soon broken by a hot tempered Shirosaki.

"Come on Ossan. You and I both know it's about time you spill the beans. What are you not telling me?"

Ossan gave Shirosaki a quick glance. A scowl graced his normally stoic face followed by a quiet scoff.

"How long have you been suspecting?"

"Since the beginning. You should know better than to keep things from me."

If you were to look closely, a fond smile warmed through Ossan's emotionless facade.

"That is true. As I did mention in Frankfurt, I am not a hundred percent certain myself. There was this nagging feeling that was pushing me to come over. For your information, we are going to Yokohama to visit some relatives of mine." Mentally he added _'If they are still in one piece.'_

Shirosaki was no fool, thought the conversation seemed light, he could sense there was a tinge of impatience and worry in Ossan's tone. His instincts were raging a storm inside of him. Something was not right and his instincts were always right. He was after all a Hollow. If there was anything Hollows understood or knew on a profound level it was instincts. This whole trip, the way Ossan mentioned his relatives. They haven't spoken about family in quite a while. Not since the last time his daughter was reborn. _'Could it be?'_

"Can we cut to the chase Ossan? Just tell me what's bugging you. I am supposed to be the one irritating the hell out of you, not the other way around." He said so, but there was no bite to his tone.

"Hmm. Very well. Remember fourteen years ago I went to a trip for a few months? I told you I was going for a business trip to the US. In reality, I came here to Yokohama."

There was a pissed look on Shirosaki's face, he was ready to explode, but managed to reign himself in. He was sure there was a reason for this. Ossan was not the kind of person to deceive others on purpose. He was more the kind that would make you feel at ease so much that you would willingly give your trust just by being close to him. _'Oh, hell, would you look at that, Ossan is not a deceiver just a manipulating scoundrel.'_

On the other side, Ossan was anticipating at the very least a loud retort, at the worst a Cero. But was stunned to receive a calm "Continue."

Since he was granted the small miracle he continued in a dull tone. "I did not tell you at the time, for I was not sure what your reaction would have been like. I… I apologize for not coming clean sooner."

Now it was Shirosaki's turn to be surprised. Ossan rarely, if ever apologized for something, but decided to let it be for the moment and awaited further clarification.

Seeing he would not be disturbed or mocked, Ossan took the opportunity to further elaborate.

"I came to Yokohama to find the very last branch of what used to be my large family. They knew who I was the very moment they laid their eyes on me. There was no need for introductions. They looked as though they anticipated my arrival. Anyway, you see…, she was reborn on June 9, 1968 on the very same day I came to them. You know, she is very strong… A pure-blooded Quincy. They even gave her the same name. I did not want to raise your hopes prematurely, that's why I've kept this hidden until now. Her last reincarnation was, as you know, in 1896. I am not sure were aware, but on that last occasion she died at the age of only thirty-one. To find out she was reborn within such a short time span… not even fifty years… I had to make sure it really was her… You can imagine my surprise when I was proven right. Long story short, since there are no more branches to the family and she is an only child I am afraid this might be the last chance we will get."

Shirosaki listened intently, his face showed nothing, but deep inside he was both happy and sad. Happy for his hope rose from the deepest parts of his soul, where it was buried. Sadness, for this may be the last chance at _his_ rebirth.

For the first time in centuries, he felt serene. No matter of the outcome, there would be no more pain, no more chances, no more probabilities. And perhaps, he would be able to leave and rest in peace.

His instincts were suddenly ablaze. Yet again, there was this feeling of missing puzzle pieces.

"That's all fine and dandy Ossan, so I'll make you a deal. I'll give you one more shot at telling me everything. I can understand why you would not share any of this before, but then why are you doing it now? Considering this will be the last one, why tell me. No! Even better, why bring me along? What's your game here?"

A sincere smile wormed its way through Ossan's face. _'You really are something Shirosaki. No wonder **he** chose you. Then again, **he** used to compliment your astute and cunning observations. Something I never gave you much credit. Once more I have been proven wrong.'_

Exhaling he moved on: "I have been in close communication with her parents this time around. Some of their recent messages sparked a bit of concern. They mentioned seeing unfamiliar shadows every now and then. So far they have been blaming it on her awakening powers or general lack of control…"

"And knowing you, you believe it to be something else, right?"

"Precisely. Even should her control be non-existent, for which I am positive it's not true, the 'shadow' or in this case 'shadows' should feel familiar, which on itself would not cause any suspicions. After all, in case her powers were responsible for the shadows, those would be infused with a small portion of her reiatsu removing any and all senses of insecurity. Just the fact they said 'unfamiliar' and 'shadows' in the same sentence was enough to warrant attention."

"Ok, I get that. So, you want my help to snuff out any threats."

"Exactly. I may be able to figure out the situation on my own, but it always helps to have an additional set of eyes. I was also hoping you'll be able to judge if this is a serious matter or if it's just my imagination."

"Fine. However, since we are already on our way, I will assume that you already consider this to be moderately serious. I sure hope so for your own good. You know I am not fond of _hunters_. Especially not when I am to face a whole family ready to make me into their personal moving target or a pincushion."

This time Ossan could not restrain the genuine laugh that erupted from deep within. And what a sight that was. Even before it was rare to see Ossan smile, but to see him laugh? That was a miracle only _he_ was able to pull off. Yep, he could admit it, it was not the fresh air that made them relax. It was the circumstance they were back that gave them these sensations. The laugh was short-lived, but will be memorized for a long time to come.

"I can assure you no harm will come your way. Besides it is only her and her parents. Including me, there will be a total of four _Quincy_ , not _hunters_. Don't tell me the _dreadful_ Shirosaki is afraid?"

Shirosaki crossed his hands close to his chest. His fierce scowl back with a vengeance, mumbling something under the lines of: _"Stupid chase loving hunters with their archery OCD"_ and _"Having better things to do then being a living bullseye"_.

"I'm not afraid Ossan and you know that. But let me give you a fair warning: if they attack I will not be held responsible for the aftermath."

"Fair enough. Then it's a good thing I already warned them in advance of your looks and temper."

"Aw, you're telling me you ruined all the fun already? Shame on you Ossan. I was hoping to get at least a good warm-up before surprising them with being a _model citizen_."

Ossan snorted goodheartedly. "You… A model citizen? Are you sure Shirosaki?"

"Oh, ha-ha. Very funny Ossan."

"It is for me."

For that he received a very heated glare. But not further comments. They continued their journey in relative silence as they neared Yokohama. Even though he got fairly used to the modern world and the way his surroundings changed over the ages it never stopped to amaze Shirosaki. Humans did have their own way of doing things. Last time he checked, Hueco Mundo and Soul Society remained exactly the same, at the sole difference of maybe additional trees in Hueco Mundo and some new houses (a few more or less, who would check on something so boring?) in Soul Society.

On the other hand, the World of the Living never stood still. Not for a second. There was always a new contraption, an innovative machinery and houses were, still are, in all kind of looks and shapes. Let's not forget the colors. Compared to the other two, everything seems brighter in this world.

 _'What is it about humans and all the chaotic stuff? Is it because humans have the shortest lifespan that motivates them to do more? Or do they just like all the noise? Nah, must be something about their life and the desire to be renowned. Some want to be remembered by what they created during their time. Like architects, artist, intellectuals, musicians, poets, writers and so on. Others, whether they anticipated it or not, whether they were inclined to the idea or not, remained memorized in human history for what they achieved or did. Some of those were really messed-up, not to say bat-shit crazy. Others were ingenious. But at the end of the day, the responsible party probably felt accomplished for doing something new and up until that moment unheard or unseen.'_

 _'Just like this place. I mean just look at all the things around. Hmm, some greenery, more buildings and roads. Oh, what's that? Ikanari restaurant, home-made meals, yum! A Gallery of some sort. White Station seriously? Was somebody messing around when they were doing the naming? A workshop. A baby-pink house, really? What kind of meds was the idiot taking when painting the house?!'_

Soon they reached a parking area. In front of them was the entrance to the Sankeien Gardens. It looked like a decent place. Ossan pulled the car on the side and instructed Shirosaki to exit.

"From this point on we are going on foot. Just a little further ahead we will reach a barricaded area. Once there, we will make a short stop as I have to lower the barrier down and re-place it."

"You actually went through all the trouble to put such a defense mechanism? Sounds like you were anticipating something."

Ossan just gave him a leveled glare, took is sunglasses which he put on, looked forward and stated: "No, I just did what I felt was necessary to protect the area from hollow scums that tend to roam around. Also, her reiatsu would have eventually attracted them. This was a matter of convenience."

Shirosaki rolled his eyes and pointed to himself: "Hollow scum, just like me, eh."

Ossan's lowered his sunglasses and met Shirosaki's eyes, both locked in a deep stare. "You are an exemption. Rather, the only exception. I presumed you were aware of this. Else I would have never allowed you to even enter the premises of my place when you first showed up."

Both of them dropped their staring contest, happy to drop the subject. Shirosaki knew very well that what he said would have riled up the other. Sometimes he could not resist to get a reaction out of the elder male. And the kind words were always welcomed, not that he would confess if asked.

They simultaneously started walking forward. It did not take too much time to reach the barrier. Shirosaki had to admit, it was remarkable. He could not see it, yet he knew it was there. How could he see when it was dark like a bottomless pit? Only this was no chasm. No, it was just darkness bottom-up, like a different space. Not even animals approached the area.

"Ossan, this is impressive. How did you set this thing up again? And how did you stop the humans from going crazy? Any human to see this nothingness should have some sort of reaction."

A smug look crossed Ossan's face. "Secrets of the trade. To humans it just shows the end of the road which is on the other side. If they really want to pass through, they just end up there as though nothing happened. The same applies to the other side. Stand still, it'll be down within seconds."

Ossan slightly raised his reiatsu. Indeed, the wall of darkness lowered down. What surprised both males, was the unexpected sight in front of them.

"What the hell Ossan?"

* * *

 _Alright! Chapter II done xD_

 _Hope you like and are enjoying so far._

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 _Quick reminder: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. Also, I am the humble (but happily nuts) writer and the spellcheck person all in one._

 _So far there were no request for the terms and words used (reiatsu, reishi and the likes) to be explained at the bottom of my chapters. So… I'll leave things as they are. If anyone disagrees let me know :)_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Here it is – Chapter III._

 _I have to admit I too am getting more and more excited. By the time I finish a chapter, I want to write another one._

 ** _SPECIAL WARNING: Spoiler alert_** ** _for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime!_**

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! Please don't hate too much if you don't like._

This Chapter is dedicated to Adelene900 – your excitement inspired me to type so fast that my poor keyboard nearly took off. Thank you :)

* * *

 _Chapter III_

"Seriously, what the hell?!"

To say both males were in shock would be the understatement of the century, or better yet, of their existence. For what awaited them beyond the intricate barrier was not the beautiful western-style mansion it used to be at some point. No, the sight in front of them was beyond maddening. The once enchanting gardens and stone paths that lead to the mansion were now reduced to naught but burned ground and the occasional pebble. The bushes were nothing but ashes, what remained of the path was charcoal and some of the trees were still in flames. But the mansion! The mansion, once an extraordinary masterpiece, was demolished, ruined, brought down to the ground!

Before the destruction, the mansion was star shaped in the form of a Quincy Zeichen. The walls were a light cream color adorned by marble stone and statutes. The whole mansion was a blend of baroque and renaissance.

Each wing represented a different aspect of the manor. The first and closest was, naturally, the entry. This part included the breathtaking garden and pathway as well as intricate and exceedingly decorated hallways which lead to the center of the building. The center was the point where all aisles came together and was considered the Heart of the mansion. The Heart consisted of a vast living room from which all paths opened to the rest of the house. The Heart was also the one place where everyone would gather for meetings, reunions or other events. The left side of the property was divided in two segments. The same applied to the right extension. The two left sections were separated into the living rooms of the family members and the many playrooms, studies and training rooms. The right was similarly divided and shared among the many servants in charge of the estate: the living quarters and the storage rooms for various supplies. Each storage room was dedicated for one specific need: carpentry, food storage, tools etc.

To come and discover it is such a state. You could see scattered around bits and pieces of whatever remained, though there was not much left aside from some tidbits of furniture and glass shards.

Shirosaki was speechless. He had not witnessed such devastation since the earthquake in that little Republic in 1667. What was the name again? Du… Dub…nik*? Something with a nik at the end! Not that he witnessed many disasters in Europe. After all, since Ossan was in charge of where they went, they somehow always managed to avoid places and locations where and when bad things happened. It was like Ossan had a sixth sense for that. They always moved before things went south. If he was in shocked, Shirosaki dreaded to think how Ossan was taking the view.

Speaking of Ossan. Enraged… Fuming… Furious… Nope, none of those were even remotely close to just how ticked off he looked. Oh boy. Ossan was absolutely livid! If circumstances were any different, Shirosaki would be overjoyed to see such a strong reaction. However, this was no time to joke at Ossans' predicament. This was serious.

Ossan continued to silently look at what remained of the manor. He may not outwardly react to what was in front of him. But on the inside, he was pissed-off to no ends. The only indication to his inner mayhem was the fire in his eyes. Hell, if the place was not already in shambles, it would be self-combusting from his heated glare.

They both looked at one another. Both understood without words that the perpetrator or culprits might be still lingering around.

Finally, Ossan softly spoke. "I'll search for survivors, you explore the premises and check for any intruders. Anything that does not feel human is fair game. Don't go overboard, if there are any trespassers I want to question them and their actions."

A slightly psychotic grin stretched on Shirosaki's pale features. "Very well, see you in a bit." With that he was gone, a faint buzzing sound accompanying his departure.

Ossan took a deep breath and exhaled. Concentrating he used his senses in hopes to find anyone alive. He soon realized that his efforts were in vain. No one was spared, not even the servants who were mostly humans and a few Gemischt*. The whole situation was heartbreaking. To think that just a few years ago this same place was filled with delight and joy at her rebirth… Whoever was behind this would be punished. He would chase those responsible and once he got a hold of them he would make sure they begged for death. Last time he felt such rage was when _he_ was murdered. Suddenly pain overwhelmed him. His last remaining family members… all gone. Ossan removed his sunglasses and closed his eyes, silently mourning the death of innocent lives.

Shirosaki was diligently searching the area which was just a few minutes ago surrounded by the barrier. Though Ossan did not say anything, he was no fool. Whoever was responsible must have found a way to enter and leave the barrier intact. Which lead to only two conclusions. Either this was an inside job; the criminal could have been a servant with access to the mansion. The second and more disturbing assumption was that this was done by other Quincies. So much about the whole only four Quincies in the manor!

Knowing Ossan, he already searched for both survivors and intruders when he said he would check if anyone made it out with their lives. He probably asked Shirosaki to inspect the surrounding area so he could pay his respects. Shirosaki felt for him. He did, really. He would give him space.

Looking around and using his senses he could tell that the incident happened several hours ago. He would guess about six or seven hours before they arrived. That was another detail to consider. Whoever did this, must have known about their planned visit or got really lucky. _'Yeah right!'_ He took note to mention his deductions to his partner. As he was walking in a random direction, Shirosaki stumbled and nearly fell face first to the ground. He looked back to see what nearly made him trip. There was a piece of stone. Che, he should really start looking where he was walking. He was about to leave, but another thing caught his eyes. The stone was atop a weird patch of dirt.

 _'For the love of…! It's just a patch of dirt and a rock, nothing else!'_

Though he kept telling himself that, his instincts were compelling him to examine both items closely. Nothing happened.

 _'Like something was supposed to happen, idiot.'_

He chided himself. Still observing the objects of his ire. He felt as though the two innocent looking things were mocking him. _'Wait, objects? Things? Why would I think dirt is an object? I can understand thinking of the stone as a thing, but the ground? Hmm, something's fishy. It's like I'm being deceived. Wait, that's it!'_

"Oi, Ossan! Get your gloomy self in here! You may wanna check this thing out!"

His shout was not disregarded. Using Hirenkyaku Ossan stood next to Shirosaki in seconds. Glasses back on, as usual.

"What is it?" came the expected stoic question.

Shirosaki rolled his eyes and pointed to the two irritating things.

"Care to check the ground? It gives me the creeps."

Ossan ignored Shirosaki's rambling as he was enveloped in a familiar reiatsu, his own.

"Step back. On second thought, get behind me. I'm about to open the latch to the underground passage."

"Wait, what? You're telling me you have a secret room down there?" Asked Shirosaki, while moving away as instructed.

"You could say a hidden route. Secret passages were and are a passion of mine. I took the liberty to create at least one on all my properties. Path that could lead inside and outside. I found it intriguing and fascinating. I refused to share the knowledge of their existence. Only a handful of relatives were ever bestowed with the information on how to open the paths and their locations. Hayate*, the lady of this house, was one of them. I had completely forgotten about this one."

Ossan slowly lifted his hand, simultaneously gathering the reishi surrounding the stone and patch of dirt. Soon both dissipated into blue particles revealing a stony staircase leading, obviously, down in the direction of the ruined mansion.

"Well, would you look at that. You don't do things half-heatedly, do you? Why don't you lead the way then? With you knowing the route and all, plus I am willing to bet good money there are traps or something alike."

There was a twitch on Ossan's lips, as thought he was fighting a smile.

"You would be correct. Make sure you don't touch anything and stay as quiet as possible. Or better yet, you may want to stay here and keep guard, just in case."

"You don't fool me Ossan. Besides what would be the point? There is not one single spiritually aware being for miles and we both know it! Let's just get going, less talking and more walking."

Shaking his head Ossan took the first step down the path, Shirosaki right behind him. He had no desire to test his luck, especially not with traps. No, sir.

The corridor was rather plain. An occasional picture framed bare walls. Ossan played with several of them as well as with random non-suspicious looking objects. Or so they appeared, but were obviously something more. Shirosaki was bored, but made no comments or complaints. He kept all his senses on high alert as a precaution. After all, there was much to be discussed with Ossan once they would be back on the way.

A sturdy double door awaited them at the end of the path. Ossan once again did whatever it is he had been doing and the doors opened revealing a quaint round room. Nothing special to say about this one. There was a large picture of a seaside castle on the right wall, underneath it stood a small light maroon cabinet. The left side was dominated by a large closet of the same color. In front was a smaller door leading to who knows where. For some reason Ossan seemed immersed in the closet. Shirosaki was curious to know what was beyond the door in front of him rather than what he could find in a closet. Since Ossan seemed lost in thoughts he just asked.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Ok, he didn't ask about the door, he would… later.

"Oh, just searching for a button. We are literally below the Heart of the house. That door leads to the upper level. I am inspecting the closet because I can feel someone used it lately. The closet works as a secret resting room, basically if you can open the door correctly you will end up in a room equipped for emergency situations. It has a bathroom, bed a small kitchenette and cabinets with supplies. If the attempt fails, you'll find yourself outside the manor. Another feature to the correct room is its reiatsu proof quality. Once inside you would not be detected by anyone outside. If you were inside, even I, who knows the existence of the room, would be unable to feel your presence. The only way to know if someone is inside, is to enter. Ah. Here."

As those words left full lips, the closet doors opened to reveal yet another door in the middle.

"Let's be ready for anything."

Shirosaki only nodded and both prepared to enter. Once the door opened, the room Ossan talked about revealed itself. Everything was exactly as he described. Except for the small body hidden under a black blanket on the bed if the tuft of light brown hair was any indication.

Ossan silently approached the bed to inspect the covered figure. He was soon proven the person was breathing, apparently deep asleep, which in turn made him feel as though a great weight was removed from his shoulders.

 _'At least one survivor.'_

Upon closer inspection the individual was a young slender girl, probably a teenager. Ossan was weighing his options: should he wake her or let her sleep? His decision was made for him when the girl stirred from her slumber. Brown eyes blinked a few times and soon hands joined them in an effort to remove the last indication of sleep. Once their gazes met the girl made a startled sound and nearly fell from the bed. She would have met the floor had it not been for Ossans' quick reflexes. His arms enveloped the girl in a strong and warm hold. Realizing she would not be harmed, the girl finally stopped fidgeting and moved away from the cozy embrace.

"Ah. Sorry, you startled me. Hehe, I think I might have overreacted which is totally awkward. Better yet, it will be even weirder if you were one of those who attacked. Which should probably mean I'm still in danger and should fight back. But, you don't feel like a threat. So, I really hope you are not a foe or worst…"

The girls' incessant babble was stopped by an annoyed Shirosaki. "Oh, will you just shut up?! If we were enemies you would not be here. In fact, you'd be dead by now. Heck! You think we would wait till you woke-up before striking? Hell no! Now, why don't you do something useful and introduce yourself?"

Both Ossan and the girl sweat dropped at Shirosaki's outburst, but for two different reasons. Ossan completely forgot he was behind him, while the girl did not even see him. Once she did she became even more agitated and pointed her finger at Shirosaki stuttering: "You…you… you're… a Hollow."

Just like that, she resumed her blathering, further irritating the already fuming Hollow. Ossan, being the closest to the girl, decided to quiet her up by placing his hand over her mouth and spoke with his deep voice in a soothing manner.

"Yes, he is a Hollow. No, he is not dangerous. Yes, he is relatively harmless unless provoked…"

Shirosaki's outraged cry of: "Hey! I may not be that bad, but I'm not harmless either!" fell on deaf ears.

He continued on, like there had been no interruptions: "…And no, we are not enemies or the ones who made the assault. In fact, your parents were expecting us." Once he finished he removed his hand from the girls' mouth, trying to reassure the little one of his good intentions.

The girl took everything in strides and soon her worried expression was replaced with one of excitement.

"Oh, then everything is fine! Yay! I'm so glad! That means you are not bad guys. It would have been a shame if you were, since you're both kind of cool and nice and weird and it would be really sad if we were on opposite sides. I'm Masaki. Who are you? Are you a Quincy? Oh, are you the Heika* I've been told so much about? And what about that Hollow? Is it docile? Did you find him on the streets and adopted him… like a lost kitten? What about…"

The whole room was suddenly encased in a dark and heavy reiatsu. Compliments of the Hollow, who was trying really hard not to lash out at the innocent soul. He may not want to harm her, but he was not far from teaching her a lesson. He took several breaths and gradually the heaviness in the room was lifted.

"I'm no pet, I am my own person. Name's Shirosaki and that over there is Ossan, at least that's what I call him. Weather he gives you his name or not, it's none of my concern. We've been traveling for over 24 hours without pause. Now, I may be partly Hollow, but I'm getting hungry, sleepy and all in all we need a damn break before I decide to blow up whatever is left of this place."

Ossan was astonished. Thinking about Shirosaki's words, they did ring true. They are both early risers, waking mostly around 6:00. It took Shirosaki about an hour to pack, he had no need to since he prepared the prior night. The drive to the airport, check-in, then the security, the wait for the flight… Hmm, the flight was at 11:30, the duration was a little over 11 hours and 10 minutes, so, they landed approximately around 23:40-50 Frankfurt time, 7:40-50 local time. The drive to Yokohama and here about another hour, then they did the search… He took the liberty to quickly glance at his watch.

 _'Wow, would you look at that, it's already 10:00. We truly did not have any breaks along the way. Shirosaki is correct, it's been a while since we had anything to eat and after everything that occurred we could all use some rest.'_

"I fully agree a break is in order. Masaki, care to join us? I regret to tell you this, but the mansion is no more. It's not an adequate place to stay. I know you've been hiding your anxiety behind your joyful way and I understand the whole situation must be hard for you. Though, now is not the time to shed tears or to feel regretful for what transpired. We should move forward and locate an appropriate place to rest and regain strength."

Masaki was amazed by the elder male. She could not grasp how this stranger got to know her so easily. As though reading her mind, Ossan spoke up again. "I am very close to all who share my blood and are Quincy descendants. If you needed any proof, I believe I may have just now provided you with one."

Masaki only nodded her head in acknowledgement and agreement. Still at the back of the room, Shirosaki stood proudly, while on the inside he was dancing. He was complimented and would be getting his hands on some food. Ossan better let him drive and find something good. Where had been that restaurant again?

"If you guys are done with all the mushy crap, could we get going?"

They all looked at each other. Seeing no one wanted to make the first move, Shirosaki sneered at the other two and made his way to the car. Once he left Masaki took the opportunity to whisper: "Is he really not dangerous?"

An exasperated sigh left the remaining male. "I know he did not leave a good impression, but you can trust me when I say he likes you. Don't expect him to show he cares. I've known him for some time, we tend to read each other's emotions rather well. There is nothing to fear."

"Ok. I guess that's alright. Where are we going to go? I… there is nobody left." Sadness was evident on her face.

"You are incorrect. I am here, am I not? And Shirosaki is here too. Just to let you know in advance, we tend to travel around a lot. In case you would feel uncomfortable with too much traveling, I can take you to your cousins. You know, there may not be any more of our family members by name, but we are not the last Quincies. Do you know about the Ishida's? They are a very powerful family. If you so desire, I can arrange for them to take care of you. What do you say?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure."

"Take you time. You don't have to decide right away. In the meantime, I believe a hotel and brunch are in order. Come. Let us go before Shirosaki returns demanding of us to make haste."

Masaki visibly relaxed with the knowledge that she was not alone and the off chance of meeting more relatives. When suddenly another question popped on her mind.

"Oh! May I ask one more question? What does Shirosaki-san eat? I mean… him being a hollow and all…"

A content smirk stretched on Ossan's face. "Believe it or not, he can eat regular food just like us. Also, for as long as I've known him, he had no desire or urge to devour souls. You'll see he is not as he may seem. At times he feels more like family rather than a Hollow. Hmm. Can you do me a favor and not tell him what I just said? We wouldn't want to raise his spirits further than necessary, his overjoy might blind us."

A giggle burst out from Masaki. Both feeling better, they made their way to follow Shirosaki. Food and rest at the top of their priorities.

* * *

 _Chapter III done ^.^_

 _Hope you like and are enjoying so far._

 _*The city Shirosaki is trying to recall is Dubrovnik, a nice little city in Europe, more specifically in Croatia. Visited it while working on ships and it left such an impression on me that I really had to add it in my story. For the curious ones: Dubrovnik has lots of art, culture and history :)_

 ** _*Gemischt_** _= German word meaning mixed – in this case mixed blood. In some countries you can find Gemischt as a drink (mixture of sparkling water and wine)._

 ** _*Hayate_** _= Japanese name meaning sudden, sound of the wind. I found it appropriate as I was looking for a name that could have "permission" to pass through hidden passages just like the wind. Wind can go as it pleases and when passing narrow areas, it makes sudden noises._

 ** _*Heika_** _is used in Japanese for sovereign royalty. It can be used as a direct term of address like "Your Majesty"._

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. Also, I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one._

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello :)_

 _I present: Chapter IV_

 ** _SPECIAL WARNING:_** _Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime!_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _Usual WARNINGS_** _: Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! Please don't hate too much if you don't like._

* * *

 _Chapter IV_

A loud groan escaped pale lips, followed by a large intake of air. Shirosaki was glad to be out from that underground passage. It was cool, but he prefers open spaces. Must be an adaptation to _his_ likes. A long time ago, he did not care if he was in closed areas or wide plains as long as he was free. Then _he_ came along and suddenly what used to be irrelevant became significant. He himself had no idea how or when, but it did. Initially, it pissed him off. Later, he realized that he'd do anything to see one of _his_ smile. Heh, those were undeniably rare, but worthy of any and all trouble.

He gave a quick glance backwards. Still no Ossan or girly. The girl was a bit bizarre, but she did lose everything and everyone in one go, so, meh, he'll let it be... That is, for now. He was getting hungry... And tired... And that cursed journey on the flying machine was not helping at all. Sheesh, he was irritated enough without the help of an annoying kid. He'll be lucky no Shinigami or Hollows come their way with how agitated his reiatsu felt. Ossan will owe him big time! He'll request for an hour, or better yet, six hours of anti-stress session. Yeah, that'll cheer him up. He'd better make sure it challenging too! _'Ah! Here they finally come. Hmm, little girly is in high spirits. I wonder what they spoke about? For everyone's sanity, I certainly hope it was not me.'_

Shirosaki's previously grinning face turned into a fierce scowl, only to changed back to his normal sneering. _'I'll let it slide this time and this time only! In spite of everything, she is important. She is the reincarnation of **his** second most bellowed person. I do like to think of myself as the number one.'_

Even from such distance, Shirosaki's mood swings did not escape Ossan's all-seeing eyes. He had no idea what was passing throughout the others' mind. But was con not concerned. If Shirosaki was well enough to act like his usual self, then he had no protests. It was far too long since then. Sulking did not suit his strong frame. And though the smile was a little on the psychotic side it was a far cry better than depression. They had Masaki to care and protect now so he was more optimistic.

Masaki was not the happy camper everyone saw on the outside. Her world did turn upside down in a matter of a few hours. Yet somehow, she felt an even greater sensation of loss emanating from the two males. She decided to do everything in her power to keep them as content as possible. She was a bit wary of Shirosaki. Who could blame her? She was raised in a Quincy family. Thinking about her family saddened her. She already missed her parents so much. She missed their loving nature and peaceful air. Thinking about it, she never saw them angry or upset. Not once. Maybe they knew children could be very perceptive, even more so than some grown-ups. The sense of security they emanated had always been her blanket. Never had she experienced a nightmare. It had always been way to quiet for any terrifying dreams to happen. She swore to treat her children the same way in the future, should she live long enough to have children. She did not see who were the aggressors. Her mother woke her up and took her to that odd room. Once inside, she had no idea how to leave. _'I wonder what would have happened had these two not come to find me? Maybe I would have been like one of those princesses from books and cartoons? Waiting for the knight in shining armor on a white horse to save me from my tower. In that case, who would be my knight? Hmm…, Shirosaki-san is white and a Hollow, so, maybe I can make him the horse… Then Ossan… Wait! If he is my knight, without the armor since he doesn't have one, what is his name? He forgot to tell me that. Or was it me who forgot to question? I better ask if I want to find out.'_

"U mm… mister Ossan? What's your name? It's weird to call you Ossan or just Heika. Unless Ossan is your real name. In that case you must have had some bizarre parents. Or maybe they pictured you to be an 'Ossan' when you grew up. But then, how would they have called you as a child? Surely you would have had a nickname or something, since you can't be an 'Ossan' as a child…"

"Kurosaki." Was the quick response. "Kurosaki, Juhabach. A pleasure to officially meet you, Masaki."

Poor Masaki. She was shocked into silence. She did not see that one coming. From what her parents told her, the Heika was _'The Father of Quincy'_. She never expected him to have the same last name as herself. Did this mean they were related? If that's the case, then that means she is not alone. But what would he be to her? An uncle? Would he be her uncle from her dad's or mom's side? No, they were both gone during a battle before she was born. Then a grandparent? A great-grandpa? A lost cousin?

Seeing Masaki was lost in thoughts, Juhabach smiled to himself. He was sure he knew where were the thoughts of the little one going around. She was probably looking for a connection. He was considering helping her out, but he had an already irritated Shirosaki at hand. Hmm, decisions, decisions. He finally decided to leave things as they were. Masaki would be silent and Shirosaki would not argue. A win-win situation. He could also use the silence for his own thoughts. Triple-win.

As they reached Shirosaki and the car, he handed over the key to Shirosaki and opened the back-door for Masaki. He followed after her and closed the door, both of them in their own minds. Shirosaki gladly took the key and went to the driver's seat, silently praying the girly would not start the chit-chat. As far as he was concerned, that had been more than enough, at least until they all recharged. He was about to drive back to Yokohama, hopeful that along the way they could stop at that Ikanari restaurant they had passed on the way here. To be on the safe side he did ask Ossan where to next.

Ossan answered without breaking his train of thoughts "Karakura. We can rest anywhere you find adequate on the way. But Karakura will be our next point."

Nothing further was needed between the two. For the groups new addition this wasn't sufficient information. Her musing was so much easily broken and she forgot what she had been thinking. She had never left the mansion or its' surroundings. Everything outside was a mystery. One could practically see her imagination going wild and her enthusiasm was soon made known to both male's chagrin.

"Karakura? Is it a city? A village? A castle? Is it something else? How many people live there? Is that where you live? Do you both live together? Do you know anyone there? Oh, are those cousins you talked about from Karakura? What's it like? How's the weather?"

Both Shirosaki and Ossan sweat dropped at the barrage of questions. Shirosaki absolute refused to acknowledge hearing all of the questions for two reasons. One, he himself did not know most of the requested answers. And two, he did not want to test if there would be even more questions from the little she-devil.

Next to Masaki, Ossan was speculating the same as his partner. Nevertheless, such was child's curiosity. His long forgotten parental urges surfaced once more and he was inclined to answer as many questions as possible.

"Karakura is a city. Mostly concrete, like the mansion you lived, only everything is much larger and it looks as though there are many smaller mansions next to each other. There are no castles, but there are many big houses, some might be mistaken as castles. There is also a huge park, like the gardens you had, only this one doesn't belong to one person. Since it belongs to everyone in the city it's called 'public'. It also has benches, a playground for children and paths. I'm not sure how many people live in the city. However, it is a rather large number. Hmm, let's see… There is also a large forest in the vicinity. A forest is larger than a park. Mostly grass and trees with the addition of animals."

A smile burst out from Masaki. "Silly. It's true I've never left the mansion, but even I know what a forest is. I did my studies and there are lots of things I know. I may not have seen much, but I'm a good student."

Ossan only smiled and nodded his head in understanding. "To answer your other questions. A long time ago, I used to live there. I did have a castle. It should still be there. That was back at the time before I met Shirosaki. We sort of met in the forest part of Karakura near the castle grounds. But we'll leave that story for another time. Shirosaki and I share dwellings when we travel as it is convenient. He used to live with me and the family. The Ishida's also lived in the castle with us. As time passed, families became larger and larger. We all separated and went our ways, while keeping in touch. The weather is very similar to the one you already got used to and since there are so many people around, I'm sure you'll make loads of friends in no time."

He ended his words with a reassuring squeeze of Masaki's hand. Masaki would have asked more questions, but was too tired and soon fell deep asleep. Her head lax on the elder's left shoulder. Ossan had a fond look on his expression and carefully adjusted the girl into a better position.

Peeking at the passengers on the back, Shirosaki too couldn't hide a small smile from forming on his face. Reminiscing about the past was both pleasurable and painful. Being the nut case, he is, he took the good with the bad and this time was no different. The road moved on and they parked in front of the Ikanari restaurant. Exiting the vehicle Shirosaki moved to open the back-seat door for Ossan to help in taking Masaki-chan with them. What!? He likes little kids, even though they annoy the living hell out of him. Besides, Masaki-chan looked so cute when sleeping. He will be mad once she woke up and started her ranting. Until then, he can admit that she can be adorable.

The family run restaurant gives off a homey feeling. The interiors different shades of beige, brown and sand colors where accompanied by carved wood furniture. On either side of the entrance are three sets of tables separated by wooden panels. Each panel seemed to tell a different story. Possibly the owner's history and memories. The tables able to accommodate up to six guests each. In the middle of the restaurant was the most noteworthy decoration of the whole place. A living tree was growing from the ground. This tree was surrounded by a square table with the capacity of twelve visitors. Most likely used for special events and occasions. Further beyond the central table was a counter along with the bar. On the left side was a door leading to the restrooms, while on the opposite was a staff only entrance and a door leading to the kitchen or some other area.

All in all, not a bad place. Shirosaki and Ossan made way to the left side, selecting the very first table closest to the entrance or exit since they were already inside. It was a minor habit they both took from the many trips. It's an easy choice since one seems inconspicuous, yet has the advantage of monitoring all who are within the establishment, those who enter and leave. It also comes in handy to for a quick escape. On the occasions that there was a Hollow attack, one of them could easily leave and return. Useful for quick escapes, especially during the time when prosecutions were made for just being alive and looking different. Not that the world changed much, it just adapted new terms. Shirosaki's coloring a fine example. Humans called him many names just for having the coloration he has. From demon child, to Satan's offspring and now just albino. It all comes to the same, just a different jargon a different wording. Only one person had seen Shirosaki for **who** he is instead of what.

Back on track, the two sat down each having one vantage point. Ossan took the liberty to wake up the napping girl.

"Masaki-san. Masaki-san. Time to wake up young one."

Waking up from the well needed nap, Masaki cleared her vision and covered her mouth with her hand when yawning. One look around reminded her of what occurred and the companions she was traveling with.

"Good morning. Or is it afternoon?"

Shirosaki chuckled and to everyone's' surprise answered: "It's technically still morning since it's around eleven. However, we're about to have lunch. Either way is fine."

The girl's astonished sound was interrupted by a waiter approaching with the menu's and informing the customers the meal of the day. Once they all made their selections, the waiter left them assuring the meal would be ready in no time as it was not a busy hour.

At the waiters' words, Masaki looked around to find they were the only guests in the restaurant. She did not pay too much attention to it, since she was not used to lots of people around. The more experienced members were not particularly worried as it would probably be busier in an hour when people finished their work. Masaki took the chance to observe the two more closely. Their manners, the way they interacted with one another and that lingering feeling of loss. Like they both went through something really bad. She was wondering if it was that feeling that kept the two close to each other. Two Quincies and a Hollow at the same table, soon to be sharing a meal. It sounded surreal. And yet, here she was, in a little restaurant somewhere near Yokohama, if her geography lectures were right, about to have a meal with a Hollow and not being the same Hollow's main course.

She was sure her old archer instructor was turning in his grave. Her lessons had not been limited to human knowledge. Being spiritually aware, she had double the number of classes, due to her Quincy training. Even with all the schooling and teaching, she was barely able to fully grasp her Quincy powers. She had never seen a live Hollow either and besides her parents, teachers and some of the servants, she had never encountered another Quincy either. It was a lot of information to wrap her mind around. But the large amount of data was helping her coping with the incident at the manor.

The other two had a custom of waiting for the meal and talk either during the meal or afterwards. It all depended on the situation. In this case it was a bit different. They could see the youngest was deep in thoughts, thinking about one thing or the other. It worried them. For the short amount of time they've known Masaki, she appeared to be a very talkative ball of sunshine. The waiter returned with their ordered lunch. All tree devouring everything like ravenous beasts. None able to remember when their last meal had been. It did not take long before they were finished and ordered for seconds.

While waiting for round two, Ossan starting the conversation out of the blue. "Shirosaki, what is the intelligence we have on the case? I want to check your opinion in this matter before coming to premature conclusions."

Shirosaki commenced their mini staring contest, trying to gauge the other's intentions. Masaki being at the table and what not. Seeing whatever he had been looking for, his expression returned to a frown and spoke in a low tone. Better safe than sorry, right?

"You pulled the barrier down, so you should know what that implies. It was either an inside job or you have an enemy among your kind. Personally, I would exclude the option of an insider's job. There was just too much reiatsu residues. Not enough to identify anyone, but enough to say it was not a one person's job. Someone from the servants may have been a spy, that I can't say for sure, but there had been at least five. The main focus was on the left side, while the right was nearly overlooked. I think someone less skilled was sent to deal with the right side, though I can't figure out why."

Masaki was the one to jump in on the conversation. She looked pale, but held herself strong.

"The left side is…, was where papa, mama and I lived… The servants lived on the right. Does this mean that they were after something papa kept in his study? Or were they targeting something else? But why? Why would Quincy attack us? Did our family do something bad?"

The last two questions were said so quietly, they had been barely above a whisper.

Ossan took over the conversation trying to alleviate some of the heaviness which befall their table.

"I am certain it was a personal grudge. Though, the attack was focused on the left, the whole mansion was ruined. Had it been only a family member they had been after, why go through the trouble of destroying the whole place? I do agree with Shirosaki that there had been five intruders, but I too was unable to sense enough for an identification. Masaki, by any chance do you remember seeing anything unusual in the past few weeks? One of the reasons why Shirosaki and I were coming for a visit, was due to unknown activities around the mansion. Do you remember feeling or seeing anything during that time?"

Masaki concentrated really hard. She did remember the occasional sensation of being watched, she never gave those too much thought before, because of all the servants and tutors. She did think she saw a few shadows moving, but assumed to have been a trick of the light. But those started happening about two months ago, not a few weeks. She relayed the same to her group. The result she received were even deeper frowns.

"Ossan, the whole thing was planned. Whoever did this, knew you were coming for a visit. I refuse to believe it to be a coincidence. There is no way! The suspicion arose only in the past few weeks, but Masaki was subconsciously aware of intruders for longer. It doesn't take a genius to figure out patterns and for them to get so sloppy in time to raise doubts… This was definitely planned. Whoever was behind this must have wanted to either eradicate your whole remaining lineage. Or were searching for something special."

As he finished, he gave his partner a pointed look and a quick eye glance at Masaki. The girl was too stunned to notice, but Ossan did. He agreed with Shirosaki. It was an act of vengeance against him or they were after Masaki. Though there was that minor issue to the whole theory. The only ones who might be after his lineage are the Shinigami. Just as Masaki asked, why would Quincy attack their own? Especially now that they were so few in numbers? He looked at Masaki. Sadness overcame him for less than a second. Once his eyes met Shirosaki's, they silently agreed to discuss the matter further in private.

Masaki was about to make another comment, but was interrupted by the blessed waiter who brought their second order round. Saved by the waiter a second time in one day? Must be the only stroke of luck they've had since they landed. The meal was consumed with less ardor, but they still managed to polish off their plates.

They paid the bill and were back in the car on the way to Karakura. Once again Ossan gently squeezed Masaki's hand and conned her into sleeping. Even though she was trying to be strong, the stress of the whole situation was wearing her and all of them down. Karakura was not that far from Yokohama. The plan was to reach Karakura, take rest at an inn, hopeful to take shower and rest for the remainder of the day away. They would contemplate the matter of fresh clothes for Masaki in the morning. For the time being they did have the bare necessities in their luggage and she could always borrow some of their own clothing. Having the plan in mind, Ossan made sure to inform Shirosaki so he could drive them accordingly to their next destination.

* * *

 _Chapter IV done ^.^_

 _Man this one took more time than what I originally had planned. Crazy things are happening lately :S_

 _Yay! Finally figured out how to put the line xD_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I'm getting the feeling this is getting old, but I love feeling safe xD_

Any questions, you can PM me and I'll try to give answers - but I give no spoilers for the story :D

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello :)_

 _Chapter V is out._

 _Here come the usual disclaimer, reminder and warnings._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _Usual WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

This Chapter is dedicated too all of you who are guests and occasionally pop-up.

I used to be one :)

Special thanks to **_Strawberry (Guest)_** for the marvelous review. You gave me wings of excitement. Thanks to you, my muse would not let me be until I finished another chapter, so here it is :D Hope you'll all like it xD

* * *

 _Chapter V_

It did not take long for the car to pass the sign which said "Welcome to Karakura". Shirosaki found an inn with a large parking spot close the downtown center. He opted for an inn near the center to avoid using the car once the need for shopping arose. He knew they would have to make some purchases for the girl. He would make sure he was not involved in the whole shopping spree. Nope, there was no way. The inn was a fine white establishment from the outside.

Shirosaki, once again, helped Ossan since he would be carrying the sleeping Masaki in his hands and lead the way to the entrance of the inn. On the inside a variety of carpets, decorations and furniture were the first things they noticed. All in different shades of crimson red, gold and white.

Ossan made way to the reception desk, where they were greeted as appropriate by the staff. Though some where giving them odd looks from the corner of their eyes whenever they could afford it. It was not every day you saw two well-dressed males, with bizarre features, carry a sleeping girl. Ossan took notice of the attention they were gathering and set to stop any rumors that may start at any given moment by speaking to whom seemed to be the Concierge.

"Good day. I would like to request for three adjoining rooms for my children and I. We have been traveling for several hours and are quite exhausted. Would you mind to have someone gather the luggage from our car? It's the black Rover SD1 Vitesse."

You'd have to be blind not to notice the way everyone lightened up at those words. The Concierge was extremely happy to know these were high class guests, since they were about to pay for three rooms instead of sharing one. The commission for this month would be sweet for the smiling lady. Other staff members were glad to know the girl was no kidnapped or worse since she was asleep. Giving the arrived guests a better look, they could see the tiredness in their forms, reassuring them even further that everything was fine.

The Concierge was more than pleased to send the Bellboy to pick up the customers luggage and had one of the Housekeepers' escort the clients to their staterooms, wishing them a pleasant stay.

The Housekeeper, a lovely young maid dressed in the traditional kimono of the region, showed them to their rooms. She took the time to clarify the how the connection between rooms worked, how to use the room's facility and technology. She also explained how the phone worked and how to order room service, where the menu was etc. She asked them not to hesitate to contact the Reception should they require anything else, gave them their keys and left the room with a deep bow.

Ossan laid Masaki down on the bed, while Shirosaki locked the door. Since this was the central room out of the three connected, this would become Masaki's room. That way the two of them could be within hearing distance in case of an emergency. Shirosaki opted to take the room to the left, leaving Ossan with the room on the right. One look was all they needed to move to the left stateroom. Both took a seat on the large bed, choosing opposite directions as per their norm. They left the door partially open, so they could hear when Masaki awoke.

Shirosaki was the first to talk. "So… what do we know, Ossan?"

"As we have already established, the attack was intentional and well organized. The timing was flawless. It was over before we landed. The barrier was intact and Masaki's parents mentioned shadows, Shinigami can't manipulate shadows. It's a specialty of my race. And the leftover reiatsu, all leads to the Quincy. We know there were five individuals. Now the questions we have no answer to are: why is there an assault among my own kindred? What could possibly motivate them to do such an act? Had this happened back then all those centuries ago the answer would have been simple. A declaration of war and rebellion against my throne. Now it's meaningless, especially since the seal was placed so long ago. Another option would be that there is someone holding the stings and recruiting a new army, killing any who oppose or refuse to participate."

Shirosaki listened patiently and occasionally nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. All are valid points. But would they really destroy the whole mansion just because they refused to join their cause? Also, you are leaving out the detail that most likely the responsible members were aware of your arrival. This was definitely personal. There is also the possibility the mansion was destroyed because they were looking for the only survivor. In this case Masaki. If they were really making plans and taking notes of the movements within then I'm sure the goal was utter eradication. You can forget about the recruitment part. That must have already been accomplished since there were five guys. Yes, I admit there were some small fry, but there were at least two really strong ones, those that were difficult to sniff. Can you think of anyone who would want to eliminate your family?"

Once again, the staring contest began. Neither wanting to be the first to break the silence or the others thoughts. This time it was Ossan who broke eye contact, searching throughout his memory for anyone intent on doing this atrocity.

"No. Ever since the seal… Very few are aware that I'm around. I would have sooner expected something like this from the Shinigami, but from my own? Unless…"

Realization struck the elders face and shock soon overtook him completely. Shirosaki, being the "not so patient person" he was, tried to get Ossan to speak up his mind. But the other was lost elsewhere. A deep frown settled upon Shirosaki. He hated when the other behaved like this. It was nearly impossible to get him out of one of those moments. For being a fragment of a King, he sure took his sweet time figuring things out. And even more time to share. Damn it! He was pale, but not invisible! Getting tired of the silent treatment he leaned over the bed to reach the other and punched his companion in the face.

"Damn it Ossan! Share your darn thoughts already! You know I'm not one for suspense and I sure as hell can't read minds!"

The punch did remove Ossan from his mulling, but the raise in voice could have roused Masaki from sleep. Ossan stood from the bed and made his way to the partition-door. Masaki was still deep asleep and gave no indication she would soon wake up.

Ossan loudly exhaled relieved Masaki was continuing her rest. He looked back at Shirosaki and gave him a sharp glare.

"Hehe, ops. My bad." Was Shirosaki's nonchalant response to the dirty look Ossan was aiming at him. He was not sorry, nor did he feel really bad. It worked, nonetheless and Ossan groaned before speaking up.

"I hope what I'm about to say is incorrect… What if… What if **Soren*** is back? If Soren was reincarnated and somehow kept his memories from that time… Everything would add up. The attack on the manor, the drastic increase in mortality of my family… You see, I didn't notice the same pattern with other Quincy families. A good example would be the Ishida's family. The one in this town is the last of their branch, but it was caused mostly due to not wanting to mix their bloodline with Gemischt instead of 'incidents'. If he was back, it makes sense to think he would want to finish what he had started. Another reason why he would want to destroy my family is _Ichigo_. He hated _him_ with a passion and I wouldn't pass it beyond him to do everything in his power to assure he couldn't be reborn. I… I'm not sure, but even just thinking about Soren makes my blood boil."

The moment the name **Soren** was spoken, Shirosaki found it hard to control his emotions. Heh, he too hated the son of a good mother. Hey, don't judge him for not calling him a son of a bitch! Soren's mother might have been a good woman. It was not her fault that bastard turned out the way he did. Then Ichigo's name was mentioned. Just the name was enough to calm Shirosaki's rage. He agreed with Ossan about the boiling blood, though he would prefer a barbecued Soren rather than his own boiled blood. Man, he was getting pissed again. No, he would keep it cool. He has too, for the little girly next door. But if he was to cross paths with Soren. Oh, no. Nothing would stop him from ripping that man apart like Lego blocks. Only these parts would not have the chance to be reattached. Nope! He would make sure not even a bloody cell would remain of the guy. Oh, yeah. He would keep that firmly in mind.

His deranged smile from ear to ear stretched his face. "Ossan. If that comes to be true, I call dibs on Soren's head. You can play with what remains of him, if there will be anything left of course."

They looked at each other, silently agreeing.

Shirosaki's smile suddenly turned back in a frown. "Ossan. This was a Quincy attack. If I remember correctly, he wasn't a Quincy, but a… what is it called nowadays? Oh, yeah! Hybrid. He was a Shinigami-Hollow hybrid scumbag. Surely, he couldn't gather a Quincy army, even less convince them to attack 'The Kurosaki'. Maybe, once we rest and find a place for Masaki-chan, it would be a good idea to go back there and look for more clues."

Ossan was surprised by Shirosaki's words. Not only did he reign his blood-lust, but gave a valid argument. True, Soren had been a mistake from the very beginning. He should have never let… He should have seen the signs sooner. Even after all this time he blamed himself for not having seen what was happening sooner. Maybe it could have all been avoided…

They were both startled by the knock on the main door, followed by a loud yawning sound coming from the adjoining room. Looks like Masaki was waking up, meaning this whole conversation was coming to a premature end. Ossan checked the reiatsu on the other side of the main door. Since it felt human and he could not detect any ill intentions he opened the door only to be met by a shy Bellman carrying their luggage and car key. Huh, he had completely forgotten about the luggage. The poor soul was bowing and apologizing like there was no tomorrow for the delay in delivering the luggage, afraid of having offended the esteemed guests. Ossan reassured the young man everything was fine and thanked the still apologizing man for the delay saying it gave them precisely the time to recover from the journey. The Bellman was thankful to the customers and offered further assistance. Politely declining, Ossan was about to send the man back to his duties. But the Bellman wanted to go a step beyond duty and offered his personal number in case they required anything at all. Poor man, he had taken the luggage and got lost through the inn since it was his first day at work and already got scolded on several occasions for forget his whereabouts. Had he received a complaint from these guests, he surely would have gotten fired. Ossan thanked the young man, assured him everything was fine and politely ushered the other out, locking the door.

Masaki rubbed the sleep from her eyes and greeted her group members. Shirosaki took the liberty to inform the girl of the sleeping arrangements and offered some clothes in case she would want to take a shower as well as an extra toothbrush and other needed toiletries. Yes, the clothes would bee too large on the skinny female, but it was better then anything Ossan could offer. Masaki cheerfully took the proposed clothes: light blue baggy sport trousers and a white pajama shirt. The trousers had a string at the top for size adjustment. They would still be way to big since she was only about 5'5 compared to Shirosaki's 6'0, but it was better than nothing. She was soon gone to the bathroom for a nice long warm shower.

A shower sounded like a great idea. Shirosaki took another pajama set for himself, this one consisted of black shorts and a dark red shirt, black boxer briefs for his nether regions and the rest of the necessities. He too went under a hot shower. He would sleep the rest of the day away. What with the flight and all. Not to mention it was past two in the afternoon and they have had no breaks for over a day. Yes, shower and sleep. Ossan followed his companions leads and he too opted for a set of pajamas: midnight blue shirt and trousers with white leaf patterns. Everything else could wait for later. They were all exhausted in one way or the other.

* * *

 _Afraid…, scared… He was running from a horde of Hollows, Barragan's personal servants. Followers of 'The New King' of Hueco Mundo. He had fought against many and came out victorious, but there was no end to these vermin's. He was injured during the last confrontation and was bleeding from a major wound on his stomach, still too young to fully use his high-speed regeneration. The pursuers able to follow him by the scent of his own blood. He was desperate. He had to get away from his persecutors. Those guys behind him would be catching up to him soon. He had to be faster and put as much distance as possible so he could heal enough to get rid of them the old fashion way._

 _An unfamiliar reiatsu burst just a few paces to his left. Great. Even more enemies. Perhaps he could use it as a distraction? The reiatsu was powerful, yet unbalanced, like the owner wasn't able to conceal or manipulate it. Must be an incompetent young one. Still such power, could it really emanate from an inexperienced soul? Or was is a trap? He decided to risk and hide, praying the Hollows following him would attack the unknown powerhouse. They did, he was safe._

 _A high-pitched scream pierced the air. Shit! It was just a kid. Well that's how life is, unfair. He wanted to continue his escape. He should let the kid be his scapegoat. It's just another soul…_

 _Another cry resonated throughout the forest. This one was laced with a hint of pain. He turned and went in the direction of the mysterious reiatsu. The scene he stumbled upon was terrifying._

* * *

The, previously sleeping, pale figure jumped out of his skin and woke up drenched in cold sweat, breathing ragged and uneven. His lungs weren't able to process all the oxygen he was frantically getting in and out. It took Shirosaki several moments to realize he was startled awake from a dream. A nightmare or was it a memory? He couldn't remember. Huh? This was the first night terror in centuries. Could it be a storm was brewing in the distance? Considering just recent events, he was fairly positive for this to be the case. He looked around himself and just noticed it was already dark outside. He must have slept for several hours. He glanced at the nightstand clock. Two in the morning. He frowned at the inanimate object like it wronged him in some way just by displaying the ungodly early hour.

Sighing loudly, he decided to try and get back to sleep. It did not take long to conclude there would be no more naps. Just as he was about to go to the restroom to refresh, he felt a foreign reiatsu approaching. Expanding his senses, he found out it was a small fry Hollow. He would go and send him to the afterlife as a precaution. There was no need for this Hollow to come near them. Surely the wretched thing was aiming to consume Masaki's reiatsu. Speaking of the girly. Her reiatsu was all over the place. He should wake her up before she attracted even more Hollows.

With the plan in his mind, he set it in motion by exiting his room and entering the central stateroom where Masaki laid on the bed. Just looking at her, you could see she was haunted by an unpleasant dream. He quietly approached her, softly shaking her shoulders while gently applying soothing reiatsu on the palm of his hands. He did not want her to jump out of bed, or worse cry out. Who knows what would Ossan think, not to mention the staff.

"Masaki-chan, Masaki, wake up. Wake up little one. It's just a bad dream. We are here by your side. Come on wake up." Not once did Shirosaki raise his voice, but his voice and the addition of the calm reiatsu were enough to rouse Masaki out of her slumber. She was shaking and was about to scream out of fright. The yell was stopped by a pale hand on her mouth, followed by Shirosaki shushing sounds and warm words. "It's alright. You're fine and safe. It was all just a dream."

Masaki was cozy and felt appeased that she suddenly hugged whoever was the owner of that voice. She was still very sleepy and her eyes did not get the chance to really have a good look at the person in front of her.

Shirosaki on the other hand was too stunned to make a sound. He had not seen that one coming. He had a Hollow to chase away, but there was still some distance between them and the approaching threat. Meh, he had time. Not like it was a big fish, it was a rather low-class Hollow, so where was the rush? Besides, the girl had been so frightened. Poor thing, must have relived the horror of her previous night.

After several minutes, Masaki was calm enough to notice she was hugging the Hollow. She was expecting to see the elder male, but was surprised that she was pacified by a Hollow. _'Well, he is not all that bad, even Heika said so.'_ Thought Masaki, perhaps she could finally find it in her heart to give the pale man a chance.

"Thank you." Were the first quiet words spoken. "Thank you for waking me up." Slowly she released her hold from Shirosaki's shoulders.

"No problem, kid. Now try and go back to sleep, it's still too early in the morning for your to be roaming around." Shirosaki was continuing to use his comforting voice and gestures. Not wanting to scare off little Masaki. Not after what just happened. Masaki nodded her head. She turned to the other side and was trying to fall asleep. But, she knew there was no way she was going to fall asleep again, not after her nightmare. She was about to voice her concern to Shirosaki, when she noticed the male was gone. The window next to her bed was open. That was so cool. How did he manage to pass so near her and not even notice? How did he leave so fast? Where was he going? Why was he awake? Did he only wake up because of her nightmare or was he awake before that?

So many questions were passing through the girl's mind. Her unanswered questions soon lulled her back to sleep. Shirosaki's comforting reiatsu lingering onto her being. She fell asleep to thoughts of white knight and shining horses instead of knights in shining armors and white horses.

Neither of the two had noticed their third member who witnessed the whole ordeal hidden behind his partially closed door. A smile spread through his face at the notion of how nicely Shirosaki had treated Masaki. He had been awoken by Masaki's unstable reiatsu and was on his way to her, when he noticed Shirosaki's presence next to her. He had not anticipated the sight in front of his eyes. He was even more astounded when he noticed Shirosaki's reiatsu manipulation. He was consciously pacifying the girl who then hugged the pale man. This was getting interesting. In all the years he had known the Hollow, he had never seen this side of his character. It was surreal. Ichigo had really made a good choice. No matter how many times he had been told, he had never believed. Until now.

When Shirosaki left and Masaki fell asleep, he used his own senses to figure out what caused the abrupt leave. Ah, a minor Hollow. Nothing major, really. Shirosaki will not get even a warm-up. He searched the area for the local Shinigami. He knew of the distribution of Shinigami's by areas and since this city had a large influx of spiritual movements he was sure there must have been at a least one around. He was proven wrong. He could not sense any Shinigami's around, not for miles and miles away. Just what was going on? This was not how they work. He was tempted to go and accompany Shirosaki, but refrained from joining. He would stay and look over Masaki. Shirosaki was capable and strong, if this was a trap he could easily escape. Nodding to himself he opened the door and took a seat at the nearby chair.

Shirosaki took no time at all to get rid of the Hollow. For a small-fry, the Hollow had been huge and irritating. He closed his eyes to check if there were more Hollows in the area. Nope. Zilch. Good. He did not need any more annoyances, Ossan and the girly would be more than enough.

He did notice something weird. There was a faint reiatsu in the distance, remains of a battle. _'Should I go and check or should I go back? It's dim and weakening by the second. If I don't explore now, it'll be all gone by morning. Oh, what the heck! Not like I've got anything better to do.'_

The reiatsu lead him to the outskirts of town. There wasn't much he could sense. Whatever happened it must have been a quick work. The lingering reiatsu belonged to a Shinigami and judging by the way it felt, the Shinigami must have been frightened beyond words. Just what could have provoked such a strong input of emotions? Shirosaki was trying really hard to sense anything else. But there was nothing left. Whoever attacked the Shinigami, must have been really fast. Stupid, weak Shinigami. They should really stop underestimating their enemies. With that final thought, Shirosaki used his Shunpo and went back to the inn.

* * *

 _Chapter V done ^.^_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 _Yes, Shirosaki used Shunpo. I'll explain the "how's" and "why's" in one of the future chapters._

 ** _*Soren*_** _is a Danish name meaning stern one. In America it would be: stern, strict, severe or even 'God of War' You can see I love the last one xD_

 _In French and Scandinavian means thunder._

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I'm getting the feeling this is getting old, but I love feeling safe xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Chapter VI. Man, I am ever so glad to be back to the story. Been working on paperwork. What a nightmare :/_

 _Here are the usual disclaimer, reminder and warnings._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _Usual WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

This Chapter is dedicated to everyone who is reading and who might read in the future X3

Happy Holiday Season :)

* * *

 _Chapter VI_

Once at the inn, Shirosaki's first thoughts were of the comfortable and soft bed he would be soon going back to.

His mind was changed once he took notice of the two sleeping figures. He wondered why Ossan decided to fall asleep on a chair of all places. _'Whatever.'_ He was about to proceed to his designated room, when Ossan stirred from his quick nap.

"Shirosaki? Already back?"

"Che!" Shirosaki scoffed at Ossan's questions. "Of course. It was a really low-level insect, albeit a large one. Are you awake or do you want to go back to sleep?" Internally he was praying the older male would want to sleep, but his instincts were telling him otherwise. He was right. Ossan uttered no words, however he stood from the chair and made way towards Shirosaki's room.

Another groan was all he received from Shirosaki, who, nonetheless, went after the other. Once behind partly closed doors', they resumed the spots from that afternoon.

"I presume you noticed the lack of the local Shinigami." Were Ossan's first words, not so much a question as a statement.

"Yeah, I expected for the Shinigami to at least pop-up at one point since I got rid of the annoyance with a Cero. The freaking weakling, I did not even have the need to change. But, yes. And by the way things are, I am sure we won't be seeing a Shinigami for a while."

Surprised at the other's notion, Ossan inquired. "Why do you say so?"

Shirosaki gave out a huff before continuing. "It only makes sense, considering the local idiot was either killed or called back to Soul Society."

A stern look from Ossan was Shirosaki received telling him to continue.

"After dispatching the Hollow, I kind of noticed a weak residue at the outskirts of town. It was at the border of a nearby city. The traces were of a Shinigami. Whoever it was, he or she did not die in peace. I could sense a lot of fright. The worst thing is I couldn't say who or what attacked the Shinigami. It could have been anything at this point. Not that we will ever find out. Whatever was left of the reiatsu is already all gone. By the time I came, it was already partially gone. By the time I went away, there was nothing left."

Nothing was said for a few minutes, both considering this unusual occurrence. Shirosaki was getting tired again, while Ossan's brain was working a mile per minute.

 _'A Shinigami killed between two cities. Who could have been in charge of either. Perhaps the lack of Shinigami is due to a meeting considering the circumstances. If Shirosaki was unable to trace anything, even at its weakest point… It stands to conclude that the Shinigami too were unsuccessful. The attack on the old mansion and now this… Something's fishy. The timing of all these events is way too tight to be mere coincidence. The main problem, who is behind all this? Is it the same person or is there more? Is there something we are not seeing?'_

Deciding to find out more he spoke up.

"Shirosaki. Would you consider the probability for these incidents to be somehow connected?"

Shirosaki was startled from his half-asleep state thought about the whole thing for a bit of time. Finally, he remarked.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. The attack on the mansion was the doing of Quincy, the incident with the Shinigami could be the work of the same group, but it doesn't have to be. Whoever was the poor bastard, was really scared. At this point it is utterly impossible to get anything else. If you want, I can take us there and we can search for more clues. However, everything was so very dim. There was no indication that the Shinigami even made an investigation. If we go there and the Shinigami arrive, what would you do? They are not aware either one of us is alive. Well, not that they ever cared about me. In their eyes I'm just a lowly Hollow and what not. But if someone was to see you and report it to the Sōtaichō… Well, do I have to elaborate?"

Shirosaki was right. If the Sōtaichō knew he was around, though just a fragment, it would cause chaos and mayhem. He was sure the seal would be investigated to see how he managed to escape. Not that he did in the first place. At least not alone. Had it not been for…

 _'I would be sealed with no knowledge of the changes that happened. I wouldn't have known about **Ichigo's** death or about **Soren**. I'll have to thank **him** , next time we meet. If we end up seeing each again.'_

"Hmm. In that case it wouldn't be wise for me to analyze the area and look for clues. Can I entrust you with that task?" Seeing Shirosaki's displeased face, he prudently added. "Of course, not at this time. Perhaps in the morning."

Shirosaki nodded his head in agreement, visibly more at ease knowing that he would get some more rest. "That's not such a bad idea. Just don't forget we have to first check your old place, one more look at the mansion wouldn't hurt either and there is Masaki-chan to consider. I don't think it would be fair to drag her all over. We should think of a place where she could be safe while we do all these things. As for the Shinigami… There's not much we can do. I can go back and monitor what will happen. Honestly, I think there is no point in involving ourselves, if we can avoid it. If either one of us gets caught, it'll get messy really fast."

Ossan thought about it and agreed. It would be rough to care for Masaki while inconspicuously doing everything they're planning. The more he thought about it, the more he was hoping she will agree to stay with the Ishida's. Convincing them to welcome her in their family shouldn't be difficult, however accepting Shirosaki's presence… That would be a challenge.

"Shirosaki, how would you take the idea of working separately? We can cover more ground and get better results."

Shirosaki noticed there was more to Ossan's words. Not that he would mind to spend some solo time. He missed being in action, even more to do things his way without Ossan around.

"Very well. We can split the duties in the morning. Or we can do it now, it's what two thirty in the morning? We've done arrangements at worse times." Shirosaki added with a hint of sarcasm and his classic smile.

Ossan was aware of the sarcasm, but decided to ignore it, as usual. "Why don't we agree now then? I'll take care of Masaki and all her needs including shopping, relocation and paperwork should it be required. I will leave you with the Shinigami business and the manor. We will have to do the palace as a team, so we'll leave that as the last task. We can meet here or we can regroup somewhere else, your choice."

A tick formed on Shirosaki's left eyebrow. He didn't miss the fact that all the hard work was dumped on him. On the other hand, he would avoid the shopping and all the tedious complications shopping sprees included in their package… He lightly groaned.

"Fine, whatever. We can meet here. We don't know how long it will take us to complete our tasks. And there is no way in hell I'll be waiting in front of a forest. At least here we can get some food and rest."

Ossan readily agreed. He too preferred to wait in comfort rather than in the open, especially with recent events.

"In that case, I believe we have settled everything. Good night Shirosaki."

Ossan stood and would have left the room, hadn't it been for the next uttered words.

"What are we going to do, if one of us gets caught? We've never considered that as an option. I don't believe it will happen, but having a plan B would certainly be favorable. What do you think?"

There are no words that could describe Ossan's reaction to that statement. Indeed, they've never had any need for a second strategy. All in all, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to at least have some way of knowing for sure if the other party was in trouble. The disturbing thing being the fact that the suggestion was made by Shirosaki. For Shirosaki to made such a proposition must mean his instincts were on high alert. That on itself raised his personal red flags. To reassure himself, he expanded his senses for any activity. Nothing. He sensed nothing at all, at the exception of the random human with higher reiatsu and a few plus souls roaming around. That was a relieve. Had there been nothing to feel at all, he would have been really concerned. That would mean someone was trying to manipulate their senses and they could not afford something similar. Not when there was an unknown threat out there aiming at his family members and possibly at Shinigami.

Back on track. They needed to come up with a system of sorts. Then a sudden answer came to mind.

"How about we use a regular item? We can choose an object and carry it with us. Should something occur, we infuse the inanimate gadget with a reiatsu message for one another and drop it on the spot. The only problem is to make sure no one else can either feel or read the message. Hmm. There is the option to share something we've had for a while, imbue our reiatsu and I can work a delicate way of preventing others from detecting the real purpose of the artifact."

Shirosaki was deep in though. So many things happened in such a short time. It was only normal for his instincts to go haywire. The proposal was not bad and if Ossan could really take care of the details, then why not? People do say 'Better safe than sorry' for a reason, right?

The only drawback would be the item. There was only one thing he had carried with him for a long time, his necklace. Well, not so much the necklace itself, more like the pendant on it. A black onyx dragon encompassing a crescent moon shaped white Howlite. Its' eyes, two blood red rubies. It was a remarkable and unique piece. Handcrafted. It was a present, one of the few rare gifts he still held close to him, unperturbed by the endless flow of time. It used to have a twin, crafted by the same expert, but inverted in colors. A white Howlite dragon with dark markings and amber eyes, encompassing a black onyx crescent moon.

Ichigo… _his_ Ichigo had made the request to the master craftsman for the two pieces to be made. He wanted to share a part of his being with Shirosaki, without disrupting the balance of his soul. The black dragon was to represent 'Kurosaki', his surname. The white crescent moon both Shirosaki and his Zanpakuto Zangetsu. And lastly, the rubies displayed Ichigo's connection to his family as well as part of the black and red reiatsu of his attacks.

Shirosaki found out about _his_ pan by chance. He, sort of, invaded his quarters. He liked the idea and was determined to make sure _he_ too could have something alike. In the end, the twin pendant, in a similar fashion, represented Shirosaki. The white dragon, well, that really doesn't take a genius to figure out. The onyx crescent moon, portrayed both _him_ and _his_ Zanpakuto Zangetsu. Yes, both Ichigo and himself had a Zanpakuto named Zangetsu. Twin Zanpakuto! Figures. The amber eyes a manifestation of Shirosaki's eyes as well as his Hollow side.

The day the pendants were done was the most amazing day of his existence. Shirosaki got the black dragon and _he_ received the white dragon. A memory he would cherish for the rest of times.

You can only imagine his predicament at having to give such an important item away. Not only to give it to Ossan, or anyone else for that matter. But to also risk its' loss. Hell no! He would have to find another trinket.

"Ossan, I'm inclined to both like and hate the idea. I have no remarks against using a 'random' thing, but something we've had for a while? I disagree with that part. If you can figure out how to apply this technique on any object, then you've got a deal. If not, we'll have to figure out something else."

Ossan could see the seriousness behind Shirosaki's words. He wondered if Shirosaki still had a grip on the pendant. Yes, he too was aware of the creation of the pendants. After all, he was the King of Quincy and back in those times a King of a powerful region. Thus, the craft master had been an old acquaintance and a good friend. He did not know what was the purpose behind the shared items. But there was no mistaking that look. They must be indispensable. Thinking about it, since they were made, not once had he seen _him_ without the pendant around his neck. _'It would be better not to push the matter any further. Maybe I should tell Shirosaki the other piece is temporarily in my possession. Hmm. No. There is still the off chance of Ichigo's rebirth. So long as there is that possibility, I will most certainly not mention anything about the item.'_

Agreeing with his personal demons, Ossan finally looked at Shirosaki.

"That would be a first. Nevertheless, I can try. Does anything come to mind?"

Shirosaki visibly relaxed at the change of plan. He thought about it and rummaged throughout his luggage. Searching for an insignificant thing, which would raise no suspicions if dropped or 'lost'. Aha! A pen. A really plain blue point pen with no markings. Perfect! He did like the ink of this one. The only reason why he had it for a bit of time. Pens did have this stupid pattern where the ink would be consumed pretty fast. He had been forced to change a bazillion pens in just the recent years!

"How about this? It wouldn't be abnormal for a guy to carry a pen. Not to mention to 'discard' it. Anyone in their right mind would think I dropped it because it didn't work or something along those lines."

Ossan agreed with Shirosaki's choice and took the offered pen. For him, since they were choosing in this manner, he would use a white button.

"Very well, a blue pen for you and a white button for me. I will go and work things out. You get some more rest. See you in a few hours."

With that Ossan left the room and Shirosaki laid back. Not even a minute afterwards he was dead asleep.

* * *

Sun shone through the window next to Masaki, who woke up refreshed after falling asleep on the second occasion last night. She looked around and noticed both adjoining rooms were quiet, a small gap indicated neither were fully closed, but did give her enough privacy. She was glad she was not alone. Standing up she made her way to the restroom for her morning routine. Once she finished, she glanced at the nightstand watch.

 _'Hmm, nine in the morning, huh? I can order something to eat for all three of us. It's been several hours since our last meal.'_

She approached each room to double check if the occupants were indeed sleeping or just not morning persons. Judging by the gentle breaths coming from Shirosaki's room, he was out like a light. She carefully moved toward the elder male's room, still debating how to call the Heika. She just could not persuade herself to call him 'Ossan'. Maybe she could try with 'Kurosaki-kun' or 'Kurosaki-san'? But it sounded so weird. She'll go with 'Kurosaki-sama' and see how it goes.

As she reached the door to the older man, a pulse of reiatsu danced across her skin. It was such a calm output, as thought someone was trying to coerce a wounded animal to come closer. That was odd. She peeked through the small opening and found that Kurosaki-sama was working at the dressing table over some something. She could not tell what he was working on, but opted not to disturb. Whatever it was, it didn't feel mean or wicked. Just like the man, it felt pleasant and soothing.

Opening the drawer to her dressing table, she soon found the room service menu. It then came to her, she had no idea what the other two might like. Not wanting to bother either male, she went along and ordered a bit of everything.

Less than half an hour later, the bell at the door signified the arrival of their order. She went to open the door, when she was stopped by Kurosaki-sama.

"Please, allow me." Were his words.

Not suspecting anything, she let the other do as he pleased.

Ossan quickly checked the reiatsu of the person on the opposite side. Confirming it was just a human, he opened the door and allowed the server in. It was the same bellman from yesterday.

"A very good morning Sir and little Miss. I hope you spent a pleasant night. Here is your order. Is there anything else I may do for You?" Inquired the overly excited young man, not knowing he unintentionally roused the still 'sleeping demon' from his slumber. If there was one thing Shirosaki abhorred, it was to be awoken when resting.

Ossan reassured the young one that everything was fine and ushered the poor soul out of the room in hopes that Shirosaki would not see the culprit of his unwanted wake-up call. He was just in time, for as soon as he closed the door after the bellman, Shirosaki emerged from his room. Fury was written all over his face. Still dressed in his pajamas and hair in a mess.

Not knowing the situation, Masaki cheerfully called out "Good morning Shirosaki-san!"

Ossan was preparing for a rather loud argument. But, it ended up rather calmly. All and any annoyance dissipated from Shirosaki's face once he smelled breakfast. Instead of fighting with the girly, he simply replied with a good morning of his own.

Astonished, yet getting used to being surprised, Ossan's thoughts ran all over the place.

 _'It looks like Masaki's presence is keeping Shirosaki's temper at bay. This is getting more and more interesting by the minute. I wonder if he would go shopping with the girl, if she was to ask?'_

Breakfast was enjoyed in blissful silence. Once finished, Ossan informed Masaki of the day's activities.

"Well then, I believe it's time to start the day accordingly. Masaki, dear, we need to get you your own clothes and other necessities. So, our first task is going to be shopping. I will be accompanying you as Shirosaki is going to be busy today. After that, as promised, I will take you to visit your cousins, the Ishida's. We will then return to the inn and meet Shirosaki here. Is this acceptable?"

Ossan's words wee lost on the little girl since the moment the word 'shopping' was spoken. Just like any teenager girl, she was excited and looking forward to the colorful stores full of all kinds of things to see and explore.

Shirosaki sweat dropped at the face the girl was making. He swore she was drooling, which in turn made him shiver. He was no coward, but he hated shopping with a passion. He could go when he needed something, but it took him no time at all to find what he needed. His shopping was: enter the store, get what you need from the list and get out. No extra purchases, no wasted time. In and out, simple. He went crazy at times when Ossan helped the occasional lady in picking up one piece of fabric from twenty. It was beyond his understanding.

Masaki was very eager to be on the way. Jumping out of the chair she started dragging the older male out of the room, only to remember she had to brush her teeth after the meal. She literally pushed poor Ossan to his room, so he could change and prepare. All the time Shirosaki had his grin firmly placed on his face. Hell, this was a lot of fun in his books. Even better, he did not need to participate. He did go to his room for a change and to do his morning business.

He came out dressed in a navy blue and white two-faced dress-shirt, dark jeans and white ankle boots. If he felt like it, he would take his black leather jacket. Ossan was next to come out dressed in his classic white shirt, black slacks and black shoes. He opted for a long gray coat. Masaki was the last one out, dressed in an overly large black and white tracksuit, compliments from Shirosaki's luggage and white tennis shoes. The tracksuit was the only thing that she could somehow wear without looking ridiculous.

Seeing everyone was ready, they left the room, locked the door and went their separate ways.

* * *

 _Chapter VI done and VII soon to follow ^.^_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 _FYI: no hard feelings people, but I personally dislike shopping sprees. I like to go in, take what I need and like and get out. More than one hour and I go all nuts. Also, my sense of fashion is not the best in the world so I will apologize in advance for my lack of_ imagination _xD_

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spell-check person all in one. I'm getting the feeling this is getting old, but I love feeling safe xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello :D_

 _Chapter VII is already out. I tried to post another one ASAP since it took forever for Chapter VI. So… this is a little present in advance :)_

 _Usual disclaimer, reminder and warnings._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

This Chapter is dedicated to those who need an escape from the World Around Us.

Happy Holiday Season :)

* * *

 _Chapter VII_

A sunny day, birds chirping around and the insufferable noise of vehicles passing by. Ossan and Masaki made their way to the downtown area. The downtown was busy with people passing by, some going to work, others just roaming around, while thirds were shopping. A soft sigh escaped Ossan's lips. Seeing Masaki's excitement, he reminded himself it was worth the trouble.

The little girl was cheerfully skipping around, moving from one spot to the other. It was her first time in a big city or shopping. She remembered stories her mother used to tell her about all different kinds of activities, foods to taste, things to see. None of the stories gave enough credit to all the brightness and colors surrounding her. They passed the public garden… What was it called again? Oh! A park. Whoever was in charge must be vey skilled. They soon crossed the main road and entered the pedestrian only zone. She was glad for that, cars were loud and smelled funny.

 _'Oh my gosh! So many stands, so many windows! Are they all stores? How can a person choose only one? How do we decide where to go first? Oh, what's that nice scents? Could it be the food stall mom mentioned?'_

Her interior monologue was interrupted by Ossan who placed his hand on her shoulder.

"It's about time we enter one of the stores. We should start by taking a large suitcase where we can store some of the purchases. After that, we should concentrate on your wardrobe and any other supplies. Don't hesitate to let me know should anything catch your attention."

With a plan in mind and even more enthusiasm from Masaki, they entered the first store. Luggage and more luggage, this stop was fast. Enter, see one you like and out. Masaki chose a light blue suitcase with taffy pink flower patters.

Next was the undergarment store. Ossan wisely gave his credit card to Masaki and opted to wait for her outside. As was his custom, he expanded his senses to make sure there was no danger and waited. About an hour later a happy Masaki came out. No visible bags in hand, since she had her lovely suitcase. Clothes and shoes were a completely different scenario, one he had not predicted. It took nearly three hours to leave the first two shop. Masaki not fully satisfied.

A break was in order. It took some time to choose what to eat from the many different menus. In the end they took a delicacy from several different ones as well as drinks.

With their energy restored the second part of the spree was underway and four hours later they were done. Ossan exhausted beyond his wildest imagination. Who would have thought this could be such a hassle? Could it be Shirosaki had anticipated this kind of result? If he had, then he understood why he pulled out from this task and took two instead.

On the bright side, Masaki was joyful and silently singing a tune. Her suitcase full a long time ago and both still carrying bags, Ossan more than her being the gentleman he was. They made their way back to the inn. At the entrance they met the bubbly bellman who was overjoyed at seeing them. Noticing the many purchases, he insisted on helping. It did not take much time for everything to be settled. Masaki choosing the moment of the bellman's leave to change in something more comfortable. She did not take too much time and came out of the restroom dressed in a sherbet orange pleated dress with short sleeves and white stripes on the seams. White sandals on her feet and a cream blazer in hand.

Taking the car key, Ossan lead the young girl to the car. It was time to make an impromptu visit to the Ishida's. The car ride was quiet, too quiet for the bouncy teen. She broke the silence with non-specific chatter, jumping from one theme to another. No radio or music was needed, as she was able to make up for both with her liveliness.

They arrived in front of the closed metal fence. It was a minimalistic three-aisled residence. An odd sensation radiated from the house. Ossan immediately raising his guard up, he would not chance Masaki's wellbeing. He left the car, approached the fence and raised his reiatsu as though announcing themselves. Masaki, oblivious to the tense atmosphere, had dedicated all her attention to the gorgeous garden located at both sides of the entrance, veiled behind the walls unless you were to look from the fence from odd angles.

A butler, a young male in his early thirties with black hair, dressed in a black and white uniform, cautiously approached, assessing the intentions of the ones at the gate. One look at the Heika was all he needed to bow low respectfully and open the gates. Using a device, he notified the household of the visitors. Meanwhile, Ossan re-entered the car and drove to the drive-in parking lot. The butler at their side within seconds, panic written all over his youthful face.

"Heika, welcome to the Ishida manor. I apologize for the reiatsu display, we did not expect a visit from You, Your Majesty. Had we been aware, a more appropriate welcome would have been arranged in Your honor."

After so many centuries, Ossan was not a man of too many formalities. However, he knew he had to revert back to his former self. Not that many adjustments would be required. After all, he had kept his astute and cold front, his regal mannerism and strict posture. The only thing he had to tread carefully was the usage of titles.

"It is quite alright. I did come unannounced. You can relax, no harm done. Please do take us to the Family head, there are some matters I would like to discuss."

The butler nodded in agreement and escorted the two to the center of the house. Just like the outside, the interior was rather plain with minimalistic to no-décor. From the center they took a hallway to the right and entered a minor conference room. Except a large oak table, ten chairs and the few pieces of furniture, there was not much else to see in this room. The butler politely requested for the guests to take a seat at any of the available spots. He inquired if there was anything he might offer or serve.

Ossan, knowing the etiquette, requested for tea and some refreshments. Masaki at his side calm and tranquil. If one was to ask her, she would say she was bored out of her mind. Yet, she too was given lessons while being raised and she quickly adapted to her surroundings. The butler respectfully bowed and left the room.

Both sat down on the chairs at the center of the table and patiently waited. Shortly the door opened revealing a male in his late thirties with fair skin and silver hair. His dark gray eyes concealed behind thin square shaped glasses gleamed with intelligence and kindness. He was completely dressed in white. The only splash of color was his necktie, light blue with white crosses, a blue cross on the back of the suit he wore and black on white shoes.

Right behind him came a lady in early or even mid-thirties. She has short black hair and dark blue eyes. Eyes so cold and piercing they could cut steel. Dressed in a plain white shirt, a long straight navy-blue skirt and wearing white oxford shoes. Her presence demanded respect. Perhaps this was due to the slight limp she was relentlessly trying to hide.

A young man came after her. Even at the tender age of sixteen the boy gave off a pleasant yet serious vibe. Short white hair and sharp-edged glasses were trying to hide the blue of his eyes. He wore a light blue and white checkered shirt, pale blue jeans and black tennis shoes. All three members of the Ishida had rigid stances, as though they had to be alert for any surprise attacks. They took their seats on the opposite side of their uninvited guests.

Out of the three people, Masaki definitely liked the aura from the youngest member. Not in a romantic way, but there was this sense of security he was emitting without even trying. There was a pleasant sensation from the older member and she could feel even warmth and endless endurance from the lady of the house. This would be her first time meeting other Quincies outside of the comfort of her own mansion. The idea both painful and thrilling.

Ossan was the first to move and extended his hand in a non-threatening manner to greet the family heads. If you were to measure the temperature in the room, you'd notice it got much warmer just by that small gesture of friendliness.

Though visibly more relaxed the family head spoke with a hint of worry and suspicion in his voice.

"Heika? Are you truly the Heika? Pardon the doubt, however we were lead to believe you were sealed centuries ago. From our intel, the seal is yet to be broken. So, how could you possibly be the Kurosaki Heika?"

Stoic features had to quickly camouflage an amused smile.

 _'Soken, always the distrusting diplomat. Seems like he too was reincarnated this time around.'_

"I can understand your caution and I do approve. Though, I am positive you can sense down to your very core the truth in front of your very own eyes. I both am and am not the Heika. Your information regarding the seal is most certainly correct."

Everyone, including Masaki stared at the man they all could feel to be their Heika. How could he say he was and wasn't the Emperor? How can one person be both at the same time?

He continued. "You all seem confused by my words." All present parties mentally cried a united. _'No kidding genius.'_

"To put it simply, I am Kurosaki Juhabach the Quincy King. However, though, I am but a fragment. Most of my powers as well as my main body are still sealed away. The location of the seal remains unknown. Had I the knowledge, I would have already removed the seal one way or the other. Being just a fragment of my former self, I do retain my knowledge and skills. While separated from my main source, I can continue to acquire new education and insight. An essential ability judging by the way the world has changed in recent decades."

It would not be an exaggeration to conclude all present were speechless. For one, finding out that the person in front of you was but a meager portion of the one they've all been told so much about. For another that same piece was giving you a logical reasoning behind its' own attendance.

"But if you really are a fragment, how come you can be seen by regular humans?" The question, surprisingly, came from Masaki. She knew the bellman and all the staff at the inn had been capable of seeing Kurosaki-sama. If he truly was just a soul fragment, he should be invisible to all but those who were spiritually aware.

Ossan looked fondly at Masaki. _'Such a bright girl.'_

"That would be a long story, one that would require a lot of time. But it is also a very personal and private matter, which I am not willing to share as of this moment either."

The words were said casually, though Masaki could have sworn she saw hurt and pain in Kurosaki-sama's eyes. Just what could have happened to warrant such a reaction at the bare thought?

They were all interrupted by a light knocking sound. The butler, accompanied by a young maid with long black hair tied in a ponytail entered the room with a tray full of refreshments. Tea and pastries were distributed to all those present. The servants left shortly, not wanting to invade the privacy of the meeting.

A calculating, yet cautious Lady Ishida was next to speak.

"Well, it seems we have reached a stand-still. How could we be certain of Your true identity? There are many a way to manipulate reishi and senses. Is there any way You could prove Your claim?"

"I would expect nothing less but the ever-direct approach from you, Else. Your personality is forevermore chained to your spirit in this or in your previous lives. But that is not where your interests are. You require proof. Auswählen is out of the equation. How about you feel it with your very flesh and blood?"

In an instant two swords manifested. A long blue reishi broadsword with a star formed guard, this sword was as tall as the Emperor himself and appeared to have come out of nowhere. The second was also a reishi sword. This one reminiscent of an ornate Dadao (big knife). The long handle and the cross-guard shaped like a bird were unmistakable. None of the Quincy had ever been able to create anything similar. The broadsword could have been considered a trick or a result of intense training. But the black one… Only the Heika had ever been able to create such a solid sword out of reiatsu and reishi. There were no more doubts. The person right in front of them was truly his Majesty, the Quincy King.

Realization struck the elder members of the Ishida household and were about to stand and bow down, but were stopped by a wave of Ossan's hand.

"As I mentioned before, it is only normal to be dubious. Now that everything has been settled we can proceed to more important matters. Before we do start, I would like to introduce to you the lovely young lady at my left. She is Kurosaki Masaki, the last living Kurosaki."

Masaki, who, up to that moment, had remained silent and unmoving, suddenly stood up and bowed while re-introducing herself. All nodded their heads in polite response and welcome. A pointed look was sent Soken's way. Brown eyes with a tint of red met dark gray and a silent conversation was held between the two male family leaders. The whole staring lasted just a few second, but were more than enough.

"Ryuken, why don't you show the young lady around the house? I am sure she would enjoy the company of someone her age. You may ask for Katagiri's presence. The more the merrier, yes?"

The now named Ryuken, stood from his spot and graciously invited the young girl to follow. Closing the door behind them, both were finally able to leave all the tension behind. They commenced a friendly talk which turned into an enjoyable chit-chat. They requested through one of the servants around the mansion for Katagiri to meet them in the gardens as both liked greenery and open spaces. Although neither wanted to comment on the fact they had been kicked out of the meeting, they did not mind much and trusted the adults could try and hide whatever made them happy. Teenagers would always find a way to figure things out their own ways.

Back in the conference room, the remaining three were as tense as they had been since the beginning.

Naturally, it was Ossan to take the lead in the conversation again.

"Thank you for allowing the children to get to know each other. I am sure it will be most beneficiary. Onto more serious subjects. I am not certain weather you are aware or not of the fact that the Kurosaki family branches have incurred several 'incidents' within a very short span of time. I came here for several reasons. One of them is to double check that the same is not happening to your families." At this he stopped and watched for any reaction.

The two Ishida's looked at each other and both negated either statement. Ossan internally sighed. He had anticipated as much, but it never hurt to be sure.

Soken spoke up next. "With all due respect. We believed that the decrease was caused due to lack of pure blooded Quincy. Our family has kept to traditions and never married Gemischt. As the head of the family, I can vouch the lore of old has been passed down from generation to generation. We were under the belief the Kurosaki were doing the same."

Ossan nodded in understanding. "Unfortunately, there are more reasons to the mortality of my family. Which brings forth my next question. Has anything out of the ordinary occurred in recent years?"

Soken was not inclined to answer that question. It was clear by the sudden stiffing of his shoulders. Ossan took the chance and fed a bit more information.

"I am inquiring for the sake of the future and our legacies. Prior to my arrival, I received letters from the branch head reporting suspicious activities, activities involving shadows. I landed in Japan a day ago to find a destroyed manor and a lucky girl. The residues indicating to an attack from our own kind. It is only reasonable I would want to investigate such events. I am merely assuring the rest of my children and future ones are safe."

Else abruptly stood from her seat, a stern look aimed at her husband. That was all it took for the man to cave in and speak up.

"Well, there is the regrouping of Quincies. Survivors from the war and minor families seem to have gathered around and are looking for followers. From what I've seen they are trying to find a way to break the seal placed upon You. In doing so, they are evolving their skills. They did make a request for us to join the cause, which we did. However, something felt odd. The person who initiated the whole gathering hides from view. There are probably only a handful of men he trusts or who know his face. The rest of us are mostly kept in the dark. Since they have been using new unorthodox powers, utterly contrary to the tradition of our kind I decided to leave. They live within the shadows of Soul Society. But at this point, I'm afraid I cannot return. The shadows are strongly protected and unless a specific medallion is used, none can enter."

The narration brought only more questions to poor Ossan.

 _'Figures, instead of getting a straight answer, we receive even more clues. Though one thing is finally certain, Quincies have been reunited, just as Shirosaki predicted and they are forming an army. Supposedly, they want to break the seal. But the attack was done by the same group. And this shy leader… I can pray it is not Soren, for there will be hell to pay.'_

His musing was brought to an end by Else's concerned calls of Ossan's title.

"My apologies, I do tend to overthink when I receive new data. What you have just told me has fortified my previous hypothesis about gathered troops. I cannot fathom what could have triggered an order to attack my last remaining family. I do have an associate who believes they may have been looking for something or someone. This brings me to the last topic I wanted to discuss and it concerns Masaki."

A pause followed by words of doom. "Would you consider taking Kurosaki Masaki in your custody?"

* * *

 _I can't believe we've reached Chapter VII ^.^_

 _Taffy, sherbet orange… Who knew there were so many different names for various shades of similar colors? It really surprised me._

 _ ***Else*** = German girl name meaning 'Noble'._

 _Hehe, my last sentence was supposed to be "A pause followed by solemn words", but the one above sounded so cool and I simply had to use it. You can blame my muse for that x3 (ok you can blame me too for listening, BUT IT'S STILL COOL! XD)_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I'm getting the feeling this is getting old, but I love feeling safe xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	8. Chapter 8

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Here goes Chapter VIII_

 _Usual disclaimer, reminder and warnings._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

I would like to dedicate this chapter to Tite Kubo-Sensei. Thank You for Your creation which inspired this story and many more.

I wish, to everyone who celebrates and also to those who do not, a remarkable Christmas Eve filled with happiness and joy and Merry Christmas to everyone :D

* * *

 _Chapter VIII_

Shirosaki had went in the opposite direction from Ossan and Masaki, choosing to enter the forest, where he could open a Garganta unnoticed. The breeze was caressing his form bringing a dash of fresh air his way. It was a really nice day. Excellent for scouting.

Entering the forest, he looked around to assure no one was present, he also searched with his senses. Nothing. Perfect. With a motion of his hand a Garganta opened right in front of him. Heh, boy was he ever glad he inherited the best of both worlds. In his humble opinion, Garganta's were ideal for traveling. Flawless and precise without the drawbacks of Senkaimon's which were constantly supervised.

He came right where he wanted, back at the destroyed mansion. He was not expecting to find many clues other than what they had already gathered with their wits. But, heck, it was way better then shopping.

Using his heightened instincts and senses he searched every nook and cranny. A few scrapes here and there. Hmm… Aha! Would you look at that, a medallion with the Quincy insignia. It was easy to tell the item was new and not used to its full capacity. He'll get this little doodah to Ossan. If anyone can figure out how to use it, it will be him.

 _'I could give it a shot. But, I'm no Quincy expert. Meh, he'll figure something out. Well, he'll have to if he wants to get more info.'_

Satisfied with his conclusion, he searched on.

Three hours later, he finally stopped. He found not even one additional lead. There was residue reiatsu and reishi, yet nothing he could work with. He moved to the messed-up garden and was about to open a Garganta for his next task when he stopped dead in his tracks. He was so stupid. So far, he had been looking around the mansion and its close surroundings, but he never thought of looking outside. If he remembered correctly, there was supposed to be more. The secret passage was already inspected, so, no that was not it.

Rather, it was the plantation on the opposite side of the house's entrance, the triangular part at the bottom of the star. Heh, as expected, a green tea plantation. A little further ahead of the tea plantation was a tall hedge maze. The thing was really huge and over 30 feet! Sheesh! Talk about complex. That's not something you see every day. A woodland extended beyond that point for as far as the eye could see.

Without a second thought, Shirosaki moved on to the tea plantation. Nothing here either. Next was the hedge maze. Really? How big is this maze? Oh well, he would use his skills to avoid losing time and getting lost within the labyrinth. Using his reiatsu and the reishi around he was able to jump high above the hedge and explore to his heats' content. It did take another hour since he left no stone unturned. The outcome were just a few scattered pieces of fabric. He had absolutely no idea whether these pieces used to belong to the household members or to the intruders. Yet another clue for Ossan. Joy.

Here comes the last site, the dense forest. No way would he be able to explore it from above. The trees were so tightly packed and overgrown it made it impenetrable, not to mention creepy. Even the suns' rays were not enough to pass through the thick branches which were so intricately fastened together. Seriously! If you had a few loose screws and wanted to check which branches belonged to which tree you'd go even more nuts. No lucid individual would scrutinize such an absurdity.

 _'Che. I'll have to do this the old-fashioned way. Sightseeing on foot. Yay me. Thank the sweet, whatever and whoever I should thank, for Shunpo and reiatsu. If I had no other option but to go through this jungle-like part with no reiatsu, I'd go bazooka. Now that I think about it, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. Blow the whole thing up, problem solved. Nah, then I wouldn't be able to find any traces from the attackers. Damn it! Old-school with a hint of Shunpo it is.'_

Poor Shirosaki. He was truly not fond of enclosed spaces like this one. They gave you the false feeling of being in the open, but were closed from all angles. Perfect for ambushes and scouting's.

 _'There better be something useful here, else I may be tempted to burst this place into nothingness.'_

He finally entered the forest. Of course, the area around the entrance yielded zero results. The farther he went the more he had this sensation of foreboding. Something was there or at least there used to be. Encouraged, he continued with added fervor. At this point, Shirosaki was hoping for anything. An assault would be most welcomed. At least it would serve to take away some of the anxiety from his mind.

Suddenly, something hit his metaphorical radar. A reiatsu imprint. It wasn't particularly strong per se. The user must have been hiding it and quite well at that, if the frustrating bits were an indication. But that meant he was on the right track! Ha! He went deeper, following the precious trail. His instincts were ablaze, overjoyed at the prospect of getting somewhere. There was also a nagging feeling coming from his instincts, begging and poking in the futile hopes of gaining his attention.

His overheated instincts were screaming: _'Fishy! Fishy! Something's fishy with this reiatsu!'_

He had to stop and figuratively slap himself. Hey! A guy needs to know when to pull the breaks and do it without causing unnecessary bodily harm to oneself. That would be counterproductive. That's what you use your enemies for, they make excellent punching bags. Either enemies or really annoying, bothersome and infuriating people. Although, modern times prevent you from actually hurting them. _'Cursed new age and its laws!'_ Wait, there was always the solution to hit them and say _'There was a fly.'_ or, his favorite _'Mosquito!'_

Indeed, it was time to cool off. All these thoughts were not helping him concentrate. Shirosaki closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Finding himself relaxed, he opened his eyes and moved forward. It was about time to finish this tedious task and get to the next. Alert and prepared he went ahead. The residue was getting stronger, just like the feeling of familiarity.

So, that was the purpose of the nagging sensation. It was telling him he knew the owner of the reiatsu he was tracking down. Good. By the end of the day, he would know whose head he was after.

By now, he reached the heart of the forest and the reiatsu leftover was at its peak. Man, whoever it belonged to, must have been into espionage and secrecy. Why else would anyone allow themselves to be less cautious in the wilderness? There was a large clearing right in front of him in its middle stood a bush surrounded by many stones placed in a large circle.

Shirosaki was no expert, but even he was able to tell the gravels were not a part of the original landscape, meaning these were brought from another location. Interesting. He'd say this place was used for meetings. Perhaps it was still used. He came in direct contact with the closest stone. Judging by the reiatsu on top of it, he'd say this place had not been used for its purpose in a long time. That did not mean another person could not have found it and sat while contemplating or planning.

He went around from his left. After the fifth stone he finally got a grip on the reiatsu he had been following. A wide smile stretched across his face. His discovery was both a blessing and curse. No wonder the reiatsu had been familiar. There was no way in heaven or hell he would ever forget it. The reiatsu of the damned man who murdered _him_! Shirosaki would have been able to recognize that reiatsu among millions.

"Well, well, well. Ossan's hunch proved to be accurate. Go figure. The one probability we did not want to be correct. There is no mistake. This reiatsu is irrefutable proof. Soren is back. Heh, I'm glad I called dibs on him first. I failed back then… This time I won't. This time will be different. Ichigo… I'm not sure if you will… would approve or not, but right here right now I swear I'll put an end to him and his plan or plans, no matter what it/they might be. This time he won't get away with neither his past nor present crimes. Should we meet again, would you forgive me?"

Shirosaki knew none of his questions would be answered. He was well aware his pledge and words went unheard, yet he would keep this vow even at the cost of his soul. Deep inside, he felt he would have been forgiven. That's just the kind of person his Ichigo had been.

Now comes the difficult part. Get the evidence and present it to Ossan. Without it, Ossan would give him a hard time and say he was imagining things. He called forth his Zanpakuto. The beautiful long white and black sword materialized out of thin air.

The sword is as tall as Shirosaki himself, the sharp exterior pure white with a thin black layer on top. A dip at the tip of the sword fashioned in a crescent shape, starts from the top black portion and narrows inwardly toward the white, making the back film appear an inch longer. The handle wrapped in black cloth, while the guard consists of two white half-moons with their backs touching. Ossan tended to ridicule the guard whenever the subject was mentioned. Looking from a certain angle, Ossan claimed the guard seemed in the shape of a butterfly. Such nonsense! The nerve of the guy! And that is one of the reasons he makes sure no one discusses sword hilts in front of Ossan.

Sword in hand, Shirosaki chipped the stone emitting Soren's reiatsu. He just needed a piece, not the whole thing. Task completed he made his Zanpakuto disappear, opened a Garganta. His destination? The parks' woodlands close to the inn. He couldn't just magically show up at the inn. The humans would have cardiac arrests. It was also way past lunch time and he could use a snack.

Once he reached the park, he spotted a small restaurant nearby where he made his lunch break. After paying the bill, he made his way towards the next assignment. The place where that Shinigami died. He made sure to hide his reiatsu as best he could as he had to be sensed as a regular person unaware of the spiritual world. Who knew what the crazy Shinigami would do if they realized he was a Hollow?

Shirosaki paused a block before reaching his goal. The whole place was infested with Shinigami. There was a shop close at hand selling all kind of trinkets. Pretending not to see the Shinigami running around, he went to the shop's window giving the impression of checking out the store. This gave him the advantage of seeing reflected through the window what the Shinigami were doing without looking suspicious.

Luckily for him, there were a few incompetent fools who were babbling about what they thought happened right behind his back. Two males to be precise, both at an average 5'6 and 5'7. The taller had curly black hair cut short and dark brown eyes. The slightly smaller male had his long hair tied in a high ponytail, fringe and all since he must have let it all get overgrown. His light blue eyes held sympathy and remorse. No other noteworthy features. They felt like low level officers.

"The Research and Development Department made a thorough investigation. They say it was an accident. How tragic, he was a newbie too. Does anyone have any inkling as to how it occurred?" Spoke up the little male.

His partner grimaced and spoke up. "Seems like the greenhorn was dealing with a lowly Hollow, but both got killed. Idiot, he was whining about wanting to go on a mission only to end up dead."

Surprise was evident on the short man.

"So, you knew the guy who worked here?"

"Yeah, he was from the fifth division, arrogant little prick. Guess he can't complain now."

It took all of Shirosaki's restrain not to scoff at the last uttered words. Stupid grouchy Shinigami, never doing their jobs properly. Their research must have had the investigation at some point after he left the night before. Or maybe even during the morning today? He was glad he chose the mansion as the first job.

Meanwhile the smaller had a confused look on his face. It was soon clear why.

"Wait, I thought this city was under the jurisdiction of the thirteenth division? How could the deceased have been a member of squad five?"

"Karakura is under the thirteenth, that's true. But the guy was from the nearby city, Narukishi. The fool came to the border between the two and even stepped into another squads' territory. Can you believe that?! Not only that, but the girl in charge of this town had to be called back the moment his reiatsu disappeared as no one knew what happened. She was interrogated to remove any doubts that it had been her work."

"Why would anyone think it had been her fault?"

"They hated each other's guts. Don't know how that story started, but they had several confrontations during their times at the Academy. If you want more gossip, go to the bars later tonight. There will be a service memorial for the dead and afterwards, everyone will go out drinking."

The two Shinigami continued with their chat, but were getting too far away from Shirosaki's location. There was no reason to follow and listen to the rest of the conversation. He got his intel. Who knew he would be able to get all he needed without even trying. With a crazed smile back in place, Shirosaki took a small street to leave the area, just in case more Shinigami decided to pass by.

He was halfway through the dark and unkempt street when a sword was abruptly pressed at the front of his throat, just a hair from cutting his jugular vein.

"Bad, bad Hollow-san… Coming back to the crime scene. Not the smartest of moves. Just what is it that you are after?" The voice belonged to a man. The voice was calm and overly cheerful, with a hint of deadly intentions.

 _'Well shit.'_ Inwardly cursed Shirosaki.

* * *

A pause followed by words of doom. "Would you consider taking Kurosaki Masaki in your custody?"

The conference room was extremely silent after those words. Not a fly could be heard. The Ishida's minds had been blown up. To adopt a Kurosaki? And not one of their branches but a member of The Kurosaki family? It was an unusual, but plausible suggestion. Not unheard of, since it did happen on a few turns in the old forgotten times. Weddings between the two families were also not uncommon.

The Lady of the house was viewing the opportunity in front of her as golden. There weren't many pure-blood left or remotely close at hand. If they could embrace the girl in their family, raise her in the Quincy ways and get a marriage unification between the two… The family could continue as pure-bloods. It was wonderful. A chance like this did not offer itself frequently. A golden opportunity. They had to take it.

Soken was thinking around the same lines as his wife. He was aware the kids would need to be informed and he was sure it would require some time for Masaki to accept marriage. But that could wait till they both grow up a bit. He was more intrigued as to the reason behind the offer, since it had not sounded like an order.

Seeing the calculation in both eyes and wanting to reassure them of his good intentions, Ossan added: "This is not an order, but an inquiry. You are free to decide."

Soken, still doubtful, responded in a low voice.

"Heika, with all due respect. May I inquire as for the reason behind your question? From the little interaction between Masaki-san and yourself, I did not get the impression she was aware of this. Perhaps I am wrong. Though my main concern lies in the motive. Why do you wish for us to have custody over Masaki-san? Is it just due to the recent events or do you wish to marry her off into our household?"

Else was fuming on the inside. Who cared about the reason? An offer like this would not repeat itself. Though she would admit of being intrigued. Her curiosity won and she remained silent, awaiting an explanation.

Ossan, having expected the questioning, responded in kind.

"I already spoke with Masaki. I never said it would happen, but we did have a conversation about the possibility for her to live with you. You see, an associate of mine and I tend to travel a lot. We never stay in one location for extended periods of time. This consequently could prove to be an issue for Masaki's education. She could never have one school and would be constantly on the move. I want to give the child the possibility to choose her own path. Whether she wants to stay or leave will be her own decision. I do not want to pressure her. On the other hand, I do not wish to impose our wishes upon you and your family either. Thus, the reason why this is a question rather than an order. As far as wedding plans, I believe it may be too soon. Again, Masaki will have free will to select her partner. Another thing you have to consider is the fact her family was recently eradicated. The mastermind behind the attack might still be on the lookout for Masaki. If you do decide to take Masaki, you have to be aware of the possible complications and dangers involved since she may still be a target."

Dead silence befalls the room once more. Heika was right. To accept Masaki meant to accept all the circumstances that had brought her in the first place. It means taking her with all the luggage and risks.

Else strongly believed the positive outmatched the negative of the situation. Especially considering the fact that they were aware of the occurred incident. They could prepare and be alert for anything. Their place was also filled to the brim with reishi armors, gadgets and weapons, not to mention servants. All were Gemischt, there was not a single spiritually unaware individual within the house.

Soken's mind was running in the same fashion. There really were no reasons to decline. He only hoped the girl would decide to stay. Who knew, perhaps both children could fall in love and start a family. He glanced at his wife and for a moment they were gauging each other out. Agreeing to whatever they had been conversing with that staring contest, Soken spoke up.

"Very well Heika. I thank You for Your generosity in giving us a choice on the matter. We would be most delighted and honored to care for Masaki-san."

Ossan was visibly more relaxed. This truly removed a huge weight from his mind. To know that Masaki could have a stable home again filled him with joy. He knew the decision was on Masaki and no one else, but to also know she would be accepted in the Ishida household was a relief. Shame his delight was not visible on his features. Blame it on the centuries of holding his stoic front.

"In this case, it is about time we informed the children. On the topic of marriage, I do wish to make a request. Should the two decide to wed and Masaki take the Ishida name, I would be very grateful if you would allow for one of the heirs to carry the Kurosaki name. As previously mentioned, Masaki is the last living Kurosaki. It would give me a great peace of mind knowing it would be possible for my bloodline to continue on."

The two Ishida's had no qualms regarding the matter. It had been a given. It had become an unspoken rule for children to carry one of the two parents last names. That way in case one family was left with no other heirs the last member could marry in a different house and give their name to one of the newborns.

"Certainly, Heika. We will without a doubt assure the request is heard by Masaki-san and Ryuken. I am positive Ryuken will welcome the idea. May I suggest to inform the children at the table for supper? It would be a great privilege if You both could stay for dinner."

"Please, the pleasure is mine." Blessed by formalities. Although, Ossan never complained when food was in question

Soken knocked on the table and the butler from before came into the room.

" **Cord*** , would you be so kind as to ask for dinner to be served? Our guests will accompany us. May I also ask you to advise the children?"

The now named Cord bowed respectfully and assured everything will be arranged as requested. He left the room to perform his tasks. The remaining three stood up and made their way to the dinning room with the Ishida's at the lead. Ossan was thrilled with the results of his day. He was hoping Shirosaki had equal luck in his errands.

* * *

 _That's it for Chapter VIII ^.^_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 _ ***Cord*** = German name meaning honest adviser. Pretty useful right xD_

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead and once again Happy Holidays to all :)_


	9. Chapter 9

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Merry Christmas!_

 _Chapter IX_

 _As usual: disclaimer, reminder and warnings._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

Strawberry (Guest) thank you so much for your kind words. They do motivate me to do more and better. Thanks for all the reviews everyone, I can't explain how much each and every one means to me.

This Chapter, however, is dedicated to the most important person in my life. I am sorry I was unable to find an appropriate present. Although, nothing in this world could possibly be enough to express just how much this special person influenced and helped me. Merry Christmas! This is a gift for you! For my achievements are yours too :3

* * *

 _Chapter IX_

A maid was rushing through the house. Her destination, the outside gardens. She was notified the Young Master was there along with a highly esteemed visitor. Alike all the servants, she too heard the news. The Quincy King was here along with a little Miss. They were all wondering what kind of connection the two had. That's where she stopped listening on the chatter. It was not her place to speculate.

She reached the gardens. Seeing the Young Master so animated was a first for her. She's been in servitude for several years now, but never had she seen Master Ryuken so alive. Was it caused by the Miss? She quietly came closer, trying not to intrude on the conversation. Nevertheless, she had been seen by the ever perceptive Ryuken.

"Ah, Katagiri. Glad you could join us. I was just showing Masaki-san around."

Katagiri dutifully bowed. "As the Young Master wishes."

Masaki carefully examined the new arrival. The maid must be around her age or a bit older. She seemed to be a very nice, albeit a bit shy. Masaki was aware of the etiquette when addressing servants. However, she always fought to find ways to make them feel more comfortable and open and this time was no different.

"Hi, I'm Kurosaki Masaki. It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask what your name is?"

The poor girl was surprised by the candor and kindness Miss Kurosaki was displaying. There was no trace of ill intentions. She could sense it in the radiating reiatsu, this Miss was hiding nothing and was genuinely curious.

A small smile appeared on her face. "My name is Kanae Katagiri, Kurosaki-sama, the pleasure is all mine."

Masaki noticed the smile which cheered her even more up.

"Please just call me Masaki, I believe Kurosaki-sama is more appropriate for the Heika."

Katagiri was astonished, but nonetheless accepted the request. "As the young Miss Masaki-sama wishes."

Masaki was a little put off by the "sama" suffix, but knew better than to try and dissuade the other from using it, aware that it would be impossible for Katagiri to break rules. She looked back at Ryuken her bubbly personality overrun by sheer excitement.

"The garden is beautiful. I wonder what else is there? Do you have a library? If so, how big is it? Do you read? How many books do you have? Which is your favorite type? I love adventure. All the quests and journeys make me feel part of the story."

She barely stopped at that. Trying to receive an answer from the other two members. Ryuken was at first silent, then he erupted in a suppressed laugh. He could not believe just how open the girl was. She was curious, delicate and so full of life. Composing himself, he failed to sense that a smile was firmly stuck on his features.

"There are still many rooms all over the house. Yes, we do have a library with many different genres. We have everything from classic to science. I am mostly fond of classic novels like 'Gone with the Wind', 'The Count of Monte Cristo', 'Pride and Prejudice'. Since I plan on becoming a doctor, I also read many books and scripts related to anatomy, chemistry and physiology."

"Oh, wow. You probably spend all your time studying." Masaki was impressed. Ryuken did not seem that much older than her and he already knew what he wanted to do in life. She looked at Katagiri, hoping to get an answer from the other girl. The maid was silently observing the conversation and remained quiet. With her many duties she had little time for herself.

"How about you Katagiri-san? I am sure you also enjoy reading."

Since it was a direct answer, Katagiri responded as appropriate. "I do not have much time, Kurosaki-sama. However, I do aspire to read as much as possible. I am very fond of plays and poetry."

This time it was Ryuken's turn to be surprised. Not by the fact Katagiri read in her spare time. He was aware of that having met her on many occasions in the library. No, he was surprised Masaki included her in the conversation. Most acquaintances he had ignored the servitude, as though they were above all other humans, just for being raised in an old family.

They spent several hours exploring the house and its surroundings complacent and happy, until called for dinner by the butler Cord. Katagiri took her leave to assist with the preparations. While Ryuken made sure to be a proper host and escorted Masaki to the nearest washroom and from there they made their way to the dining room.

By the time they arrived, the dining table was already prepared. The intricate white wooden table was covered by a blue mist satin tablecloth. The cutlery is silver plated, polished to perfection and has elaborate flower design at the handles. The glasses are of a fine and sturdy crystal with silver starburst etchings centered low and rising toward the top. Finally, the plates are elegant white ceramic shaped as petals. There were also three different jugs. A crystal plain pitcher containing water. The second, a pearly white ceramic jug which was filled with fresh orange juice. Lastly, a silver pitcher with hand-crafted Quincy Zeichen with wine for the grown-ups.

Speaking of the adults, they were all at their proper seats. Naturally, the Family Head Soken, was at the center of the table, Kurosaki-sama to his right, while Lady Ishida to his left. As per traditions the younger members sat as well. Ryuken by his mother's side, while Masaki by Kurosaki-sama's. Not wasting any time, the attendants began to serve the meal. Everything was truly delicious from starter to dessert.

They began with pan-seared crab cakes served with lemon sauce, followed by creamy cucumber-avocado soup. The main course consisted of tender filet mignon dressed with butter mushroom cream, carrot and rosemary infused mashed potatoes all laying on top of a mangold and spinach bed. Oh, the dessert was simply to die for, a tricolor tower. Vanilla, strawberry and cinnamon cream each separated by chocolate waffles and glossy dark chocolate ganache spilling from the top layer.

Yummy. Meal completed and servers done with clearing the table. Coffee and tea were served. And the important discussion began with Ossan in the lead.

"I would like to thank you for the meal. It was outstanding."

Soken was right on track and followed. "Think nothing of it, Heika, we are delighted You could join us. And I mean both You and the little Lady. I do hope we will get the opportunity to share another supper as joined families. How about you, Masaki-san? Was the meal to your liking?"

Masaki, who nearly dozed off, assured everything had been more than exquisite and was looking forward to another reunion. Ryuken was getting used to Masaki's enthusiasm and positive energy and found it particularly hard not to smile along with her. Masaki had the unique power to shine anywhere she went, bringing a dash of fresh air and optimism. He was not the only one to see it. He too was looking forward to the next time.

Bringing up their agreed agenda, Ossan initiated the discussed topics.

"Masaki dear. Remember we spoke recently about the possibility for you to either travel with Shirosaki and I, or choose to live here in Karakura with the Ishida's? Should you so wish, Soken and Else confirmed they would be more than happy to let you stay here with them. I could enroll you in high school and you would be able to continue your life in a stable home. Due to the way of life Shirosaki and I have, it may become a challenge for you. It would mean constant movement and traveling. Therefore, we would like to let you decide what you feel would be better."

Masaki was taken by surprise. She did remember the little chit-chat. Although she came to like very much both Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san, the fact that they could not be in one place for extended periods of time would be difficult. Especially with school and stuff. She would be able to see many different locations and explore the world, but she knew she would much prefer staying put in one spot. She had her plans to travel once she was a little bigger. She may have never left the mansion, but even she was aware of the beauty and dangers the world had to offer to all those who went on journeys. Alluring, charming and magnificent sights to see were calling her attention. Yet, dark, menacing and treacherous challenges and obstacles awaited unsuspecting travelers and kept her at bay.

Across from her, Ryuken was anxiously waiting for Masaki's verdict. He had not known what his parents and Masaki's guardian had spoken about. To find out they were considering her permanent stay was making him giddy with anticipation. He could already see the house being filled with Masaki's warm energy. Should she decline the offer, he was sure the place would feel as though the sun left.

Masaki nodded her head, as though agreeing with herself.

"I… Kurosaki-sama, I know I just recently met you and Shirosaki-san and I enjoy being around both of you. But… Umm… If it would cause no trouble, I would love to stay here. I am looking forward to go to high school and gain some friends… But I do not wish to disturb or inconvenience all who live in this beautiful household."

Ryuken was glad to hear Masaki's answer, which did not go unnoticed by his parents. They momentarily looked at each other and nodded in understanding.

"Masaki-san, I can assure you it would be no trouble at all. On the contrary it would bring us joy. You seem so vibrant and full of life. I am positive you will liven the whole place including us and the staff."

Masaki was ecstatic. She would have jumped out of her chair, but refrained from doing so. She gave a shy peak at Kurosaki-sama, praying there would be no disappointment or worse sadness. She had promised to make them happy. She was relieved to see the other was gently smiling. Giving her courage and his support. Ossan would definitely miss her when they separate, but he too knew this way was better.

"I am glad for you Masaki. I can clearly see your excitement. To know you are happy is enough a reward for me."

This time Masaki could not stop herself from abruptly standing up from her chair and hugged the life out of Kurosaki-sama. Indeed, she was happy and thankful. After the horrible experience of loosing her home, she was given a new one. It was all thanks to Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san. She would remember all the events for as long as she lived.

"Well, I think it's about time we make our way back to the inn. We can rest and if everyone agrees start preparing for your move. What do you say Masaki?"

Masaki was rendered speechless by all the happenings, thus, only nodded her head. Soon after, they finalized the last of the pleasantries and made their way back to the car.

It had been a long day. Masaki was ready to collapse and fall asleep. Ossan drove in silence, occasionally glancing at the now sleeping girl. It will be his duty to explain the situation to Shirosaki. Hopefully the other finished with his tasks.

* * *

 _'Well shit.'_ Inwardly cursed Shirosaki.

The blade at his throat had been unexpected. He was sure no one was in the alley he took. Yet, here he is, blade and all. Since the guy was behind him, he had no idea as to what he was dealing with. He decided to deal with the situation at hand as per his usual ways. A mix of brashness and confidence with bits and pieces of sarcasm and whatever else he felt like adding. It all depended on the receiver and their attitude.

"You know, it is rude to call people names. If you are looking for money, it's in the front left pocket of my jeans. You can either take it, or I can give it to you and we can both be on our merry way."

A light chuckle escaped his captor. "My, my Hollow-san. Playing games? Pretending not to know thyself is not the best way to get away. You may be capable of hiding your reiatsu to the point of making it feel human. But we both know there is no mistake. How about you tell me what I want to know and I won't have to cut you to pieces? You can start right about now. Also, who gave you a gigai? I will admit, it is remarkably well made. Was it Aizen?"

Shirosaki was getting confused. A gigai? The heck was that? And who was this Aizen?

"Listen here dude, I just said it was not nice calling people names. Besides, what in the world is a gigai? I hope for your own good it's nothing perverted, dirty old creep. And who's Aizen? Your boyfriend, girlfriend or something? I can tell you, I've been single for the longest of times and I'm not looking for a new relationship anytime soon. You can keep whoever that Aizen is for all I care."

The hidden male stiffened his hold on the weapon. Hehe, he hit a nerve there. He had to figure out just which part caused the reaction. He was not given the chance, as the assailant recovered.

"You are telling me, you are not using a gigai? That is impossible. How could you feel and look so solid to the point where humans can see you and you can interact with them. You are a mystery, Hollow-san. How about I take you to my laboratory? I'll get to figure you out and you won't have to be taken to Soul Society? So, why not cut through the chase and stop with this parody?"

If there was one thing Shirosaki hated even more than shopping, it would be crazy scientists. He was not particularly in the mood to call forth his Zanpakuto and cut the guy from behind. But he would do it, if it would assure his safe escape. There were other options, but he was in a really good mood. Most of all, he was curious to see if he could get even more data. He'll made do with the nut-case, for now.

"Oi, are you saying you want to kidnap little old me? You know that is a serious crime?"

He received no response for his efforts. Huffing he proceeded.

"Look, I will assume you are a Shinigami, for Hollows don't tend to talk much. That means you will anyway take me to Soul Society. Yes, I am partially Hollow and no, I'm not using a gigai or whatever you call it. I have a solid form thanks to a friend who taught me a neat trick. That was a long time ago and I don't feel inclined to explain more than that. As far as your friend Aizen, I've never even heard the name until you just mentioned it now. Happy?"

Silence. Seems like his opponent was calculating one thing or the other. Shirosaki was soon proved right, when the other spoke again.

"You are telling me you are not using a gigai and that you've never heard the name Aizen. Yet, here I find you in a suspicious area. Now, Hollow-san, let us be reasonable. You look to be a shady individual. Why would you be roaming around with Shinigami all over the place.

"Che. Would you believe me if I said yes? As far as for the reason of me being here it's simple. Last night a Hollow attacked nearby. I sensed something off in here and went to investigate. I came to find nothing but disappearing reiatsu of what must have been a fight. Also, the air smelled of fear. All indicating that it was one sided and very fast. I returned now to check up what was the update. The best way to figuring this out was to come in broad daylight, pretending to be human and listen on conversations of the Shinigami passing by."

Seeing the other was not talking, Shirosaki picked up the conversation. "Do you really think I couldn't have escaped from your grasp by now? I'm being civil and I'm cooperating. So, why don't you try and extend the same courtesy and show yourself? Oh, and since we are at it, why not remove your Zanpakuto from my neck? That would make us both feel more at ease, don't you think?"

More snickers followed by an amused voice. "Hollow-san you really want me to believe such absurdity? You would ask me to set you free? Ma, I guess I could at least show my face to a comedian like yourself."

The blade was removed. Shirosaki was in no rush to have it back on him, so he slowly turned around to see whom he had been talking to.

Yup, it had been a guy. About his height, lean, light skin, messy light-blond hair with strands framing the sides of the face and hanging between his eyes, chin stubble and gray eyes. Shirosaki was not sure about the eyes as they were mostly shadowed by a striped dark green and white bucket hat. The male wore what looked like a dark green kosode and pants of the same color as well as a dark coat with white diamond patterns along its bottom half. On his feet he had traditional Japanese wooden sandals. What were they called again? Oh, right, geta.

Ok it was official. Shirosaki had never in his entire existence seen a Shinigami like this one. He was not even interested in the males' name, he already had the perfect name in his head for the guy. Getabōshi, 'sandal-hat'. He was tempted to laugh till he would drop to his knees. The only reason he refrained from doing so, was the opportunity to gather more information. It was most certainly not the little sword. Seriously who in their right mind goes around with a silver blade embed in an umbrella handle or is it a cane's handle? Judging by the wooden case the guy pulled out, he would go with the cane presumption. What was that design at the bottom of it? A blue skull? Why would he have a decoration at the bottom of a cane? It was not visible at all! Shinigami and their stupid sense of fashion.

With a critical eye, the unknown man was carefully analyzing the Hollow in front of his eyes. He was astonished. Never had he seen a patient or tranquil Hollow, such as this one. Had it not been for his eyes and pale nearly white skin, he could be easily mistaken for a human.

The newcomer, lowered his hat, obscuring his eyes even more than before. A smile on his face. _'This is going to be very interesting.'_

"Hollow-san, how about we go elsewhere? We would not want to be spotted by other Shinigami around, now would we?"

Shirosaki scoffed and crossed his arms around his chest.

"Seeing you are a Shinigami yourself, shouldn't that be more convenient for you? Or are you not supposed to be here either? Anyway, you are really rude. How about you introduce yourself before asking for favors?"

"Of course, where are my manners? Urahara Kisuke, owner of a humble candy store in this lovely city. Am I to correctly assume I will get a name in turn?"

Shirosaki's grin stretched across his face in record time. "Shirosaki Ichirou." He said he would introduce himself, not that he would give his history.

"Shirosaki-san huh? Care to join me on this late afternoon for a cup of tea? Night will fall soon and I have the feeling neither one of us wants to be found by other Shinigami."

Shirosaki weighted his options. Yes, he could always get away without Getabōshi even noticing. But he really wanted to figure out what the hell was a gigai. He did not like the name Aizen either for some reason. He'll blame it on his instincts and Soren's reincarnation. It would be beneficial to know if they were trespassing on someone's territory.

"Sure, by all means lead the way Getabōshi-san. But let me give you a fair warning. You try messing around or doing something stupid like attacking me, and I will not have a choice but to fight back. I may have appeared meek and I am in high spirits, but don't test my patience. You may end up disliking my temper." All was said in a casual manner as thought they were talking about the weather and not about possibly killing each other.

Urahara was once again shocked. _'Oh, yes. Indeed, this is about to get very interesting.'_

* * *

 _Another Chapter out ^.^_

 _I am so happy to see my story is so well liked. Again, a big thank you to everyone and particular shout-outs to **Strawberry (Guest)** as well as to my **Super Special Individual** for being there for me and supporting this humble creation of mine._

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead and once again Happy Holidays to all :)_


	10. Chapter 10

_Hello everyone :)_

 _We've made it to Chapter X_

 _Can't believe how fast I'm writing. Hehe, just using the chance to do as much as possible while on land. Once onboard I won't be able to. Best wishes to everyone!_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings as per usual._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

I adore Urahara's character and I solemnly swear to try and keep him the way he is, goofy and smart, serious when needed with a twist. Let me know if I made it xD

* * *

 _Chapter X_

Shirosaki was keeping up with the crazy Shinigami. He had no idea as to where they were going, but was not concerned. Should the guy attempt anything, he would get rid of him and use a Garganta to get back to the inn.

The whole walk was silent. Both trying their hardest not to look suspicious to either the humans or Shinigami roaming around. They finally reached what looked to be a run-down brown and gray shop. A sign was visible even from their distance with the wordings: 'Urahara Shoten'.

 _'Would you look at that, Getabōshi was honest when he said he owned a shop. Wonder what he sells?'_

Urahara suppressed his playful nature the entire time. He was dying to prank the Hollow, yet knew it was not a smart idea, especially not on streets full of Shinigami. He couldn't afford to be found by Soul Society, at least not yet.

"Welcome to the 'Urahara Shoten' your must stop destination for any spiritual related purchases. Make an order of 10.000 yen or more and you'll get a 5% discount on your next visit. You can only use the discount if you have a tab. An account with us will allow you to enjoy even more privileges starting today. Now shall we proceed?" said Urahara in his cheerful manner and a large smile on his face. Poor Urahara. He just could not resist anymore. Although, he was still holding back.

Shirosaki scoffed at the others behavior, but went with the flow and followed Urahara inside the store. The front was full of candies, chips, sweets and other snacks. The whole interior was in shades of brown, cream and green. This guy sure liked green. There was a door behind the counter leading to either the storage room or living quarters. Still doubtful, Shirosaki expanded his senses. There was another man somewhere inside. Ah, right behind the door. He was good at hiding his reiatsu. Had he not been looking for an ambush in details, he might have missed him. There were also odd reiatsu flecks here and there. Even though, those were not living things, he would be ready for anything.

Urahara noticed the change in posture. It was minuscule and to most it would have went unseen. He had hoped of getting Tessai-san's help and catch the Hollow off guard. Seems like that option went down the drain even before being applied. He figured he could try the old trick called 'Deception'.

"What's the matter Hollow-san? Afraid of a little candy-store. I assure you, none of the sweets will to hurt you. And here I thought you were braver." Mocked the shopkeeper, with a fan that mysteriously came out of nowhere. It was hiding the smirk the owner surely had.

Shirosaki may be part Hollow and may have a short fuse at times, but even he could tell when someone was masking taunting with mocking. This guy was hiding something and he did not like it one bit. Choosing to behave in kind, he teased back, notorious grin back on his face.

"Hah! If you think a cheap trick like that will be enough to provoke me, you are dead wrong. You see, I'm not just a lowly Hollow. Besides you don't want to know what kind of person I've been hanging around for the past few years…" _'Alright, centuries, but this guy doesn't need to know.'_ "…Frankly, he's way above your league. So, why don't you call forth your friend, huh? Yeah, I'm talking about whoever is behind that door over there." He used his hand to gesture at the door right behind the counter.

Urahara was motionless for the briefest of seconds. Fan still obscuring most of his features. He, abruptly, started to babble in a cheerful tone and waving the same annoying object.

"Ma, ma, dearest Hollow-san! You are correct! You are far better than I anticipated. Tessai-san, would you be so kind and bring us some tea. The usual room will be fine."

A deep voice echoed from behind the door with a loud exclamation of "Hai Tenchou!"

"Now, since you saw behind my tricks, it would be useless to try and surprise you. We can go to the back and have that cup of tea I offered earlier." That said the fan slipped away and Urahara made his way to the door and disappeared from sight.

Shirosaki was stunned by Getabōshi's behavior. He was cool one moment and utterly insane the second. Any sane person knew better than to turn their backs on a Hollow. Meh, this whole thing smelled of a trap, but he was in a really good mood. If there was a trap, he would enjoy in dismembering whatever was thrown his way. He followed after the landlord as relaxed as possible, while simultaneously being alert.

He was lead to a large plain room, still in brown, cream and green. A round small table stat in the middle of the room. The table, a few small dressers and the pillows around the table were the only decoration along with the tatami mats. Urahara sat at what seemed to be the central part on one of the dark brown cushions, patiently waiting for his 'guest' to take the invitation and sit.

Shirosaki sent his way a blank stare seeming to say 'Really?', but complied. He took the seat on the opposite direction of the man and kept his senses open. There was still the other male, Tessai or something, around the damned place. Shirosaki was still trying to understand why he went along with the guy. Oh, right, information.

The door they had just used to enter was opened. A large, tan-skinned muscular man brought two cups of hot steaming tea. Shirosaki could not see how big the guy was since he was down to his knees, but judged the guy must have been over 6 feet tall. His haircut is all kind of weird. Cornrowed and tightened in a low ponytail. The guy has a large handlebar mustache connected to long sideburns. His eyes are not visible due to the pair of small rectangular-shaped glasses and wears a white muscle shirt, a long blue apron and probably gray pants. Comparing his reiatsu to the one he previously sensed, Shirosaki was sure this was the same guy he had felt not too long ago. Damn, speak of the Devil and he shall appear. Well, 'think' would be more appropriate for this case, but you get what he means.

Urahara, who never stopped checking his last-minute invitee, was more than curious. Seeing the tea, he turned back to his antics.

"Ah, thank you very much Tessai-san. I will call you should we need anything else."

The elder male just responded with another "Hai." Bowed and left the room.

Shirosaki was taken back by the cold shoulder, yet living with Ossan had been more of a challenge and ignored the whole thing. He focused on the guy in front of him.

"Now, how about getting down to business? Let's get something straight first. I'm not fond of going in circles, so I'll ask you to be straightforward. We can work with the old principle of 'You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' or we can choose not to work altogether. I leave and we forget we've ever met. What do you say Getabōshi?"

Urahara tilted his hat low hiding his eyes from view. It was not a bad dead. Considering he was dealing with a Hollow, it was more than he could have ever expected. However, he had no idea what he was dealing with. Not that he refused a challenge when one presented itself. He quickly pulled out his fan yet again and covered his face.

"Oh well, in that case you leave me in a bind. Since I enjoy games a lot."

Shirosaki would have face-palmed at the re-appearance of the stupid fan. _'Where in the world does he pull that thing out from? No, better yet, why does he need to use it in the first place?'_

The same fan was suddenly closed right in front of his face. An irritated tick showing on Shirosaki's features. He was getting exasperated by Getabōshi's behavior.

"Alright, Hollow-san. How about you start then? You are the guest, so it would only be fitting for you to begin."

Shirosaki was really getting displeased by the crazy dude, but agreed nonetheless. Give to receive. He can work like that.

"First, stop calling me Hollow-san. Next, I already told you what I know. I guess I'll start from the start. I came to this town only yesterday. I felt a low-level Hollow and no Shinigami around, so I took care of it. I'll admit I'm not fond of either one of them. However, I can't stand the night howling. After finishing the Hollow off, I sensed an unusual residue and, being the curious person, I tend to be, I went to investigate what was so special about the reiatsu. I arrived to find nothing but dissipating frightened reiatsu from a Shinigami and traces of a Hollow. I have no idea what transpired, but the fight must have been one-sided. Oh, just for your information they did not kill each other off. I'm positive the Hollow escaped. Don't ask how I know, it's just instincts since I don't have proof. Now it's your turn. Care to tell me what a gigai is? And why you were there if you are not working with the Shinigami? Also, I could not but perceive, that you get easily affronted whenever that Aizen person is mentioned. Care to elaborate?"

For the first time since the whole blade on the neck, Urahara was serious. He looked at Shirosaki so solemnly. It did not fit the man at all.

"This is a serious issue. I am aware of the fight. As you speculated it truly was one-sided. To be honest, I too was under the impression both the Shinigami and the Hollow perished in the fight. If the Hollow survived we might have a problem at hand. Now, in regards to as what a 'gigai' is. It's an artificial body created with the purpose to hold a soul inside. It's something Shinigami use when they are injured in the World of the Living. That way they can look and feel like humans, while they recover. It also allows them to make contact with humans. As for me, I used to be a Shinigami in the past, but am an escapee sort of and would like to remain undetected. As for Aizen-san, he is the reason why I had to leave Soul Society."

Story finished, he resumed his playful attitude. "So, you see, I decided to open a small shop as a cover-up for humans, while being able to cater for spiritual related issues. I tend to help out the local Shinigami when needed as that's my greatest source of profit."

Shirosaki was no fool. He could tell there was way more behind this Aizen character, but decided to let it be. What, he too was not telling everything.

"I guess that's it then. Thanks to me, you know the Hollow is still around. And thanks to you, I know there is a shady dude called Aizen. I was hoping for more, but it'll do for today. I'll be taking my leave then."

Urahara would not allow that. He nearly completed the analysis of his guests' reiatsu. He could not lose him now.

"Wait a second. I never said I was done." He said with mild panic. Shirosaki just gave him one of those looks with a raised brow, asking "Seriously? How bad do you want me to be your lab-rat? You think I did not feel any difference in the room? You have a device or machine that is taking bits of my reiatsu. Not sure what you would use it for, but I'm not letting it finish on purpose. The more reiatsu it gets, the more confused the machine."

Urahara was shocked. Never, not in his wildest dreams did he think he would be found out so effortlessly. Indeed, his device was taking the reiatsu around them, but it was not very noticeable. The device was programmed to take the natural output all living being emitted making it near invisible. For this person to detect even such a minuscule difference… It was amazing. He was even more curious about this person than ever. He pulled out from his kosode a glove with a black, blue and white skull. He threw the glove at Shirosaki, who instinctively caught it. Nothing happened. No soul popped out of an artificial body, no changes at all. Which meant the Hollow had told nothing but the truth the whole time.

Urahara was seriously having his mind blown away. There were no records in either Soul Society or in his personal files about such a phenomenon. He could see the irritation on the Hollow's face and hastily tried to explain himself.

"Shirosaki-san, I must apologize if I offended you. Up until now, I was under the impression I was dealing with a higher-class Hollow disguised as a human and I wanted to check which level I was dealing with. I can clearly see this is not the case. Far from it, you are on a new dimension altogether. I've never heard of or seen a Hollow so human-like as yourself. Pardon my inquisitive nature, but, just what are you?"

Shirosaki had guessed right that the glove he caught was meant to do something. Since nothing happened, the crazy Shinigami must have come to a conclusion even without his device. Che, might as well tell him. There was always the possibility of gathering more intel, if the guy was reassured of Shirosaki's intentions.

"Fine. I'm a Hollow-Shinigami hybrid. Now I am not a Hollow who gained Shinigami powers or the other way around. I was born as a hybrid. My papa was a Hollow, a Vasto Lorde level Hollow. My mom was a pure Shinigami. They fell in love with each other and here I am."

More silence. Until Urahara pulled out his fan and started flapping it around while laughing so hard the table was shaking.

"Don't make such jokes with me Shirosaki-san. What you say is impossible on so many levels, it's not even funny. A Hollow and Shinigami… In love. Such an evil mind you have, I almost even believed you."

At this point Shirosaki was beyond mad. It was one thing to laugh at him, his looks, eyes, powers or what not. But to ridicule his parents, that he could not forget. He lifted his left hand, which was closed in a tight fist, and brought it down to the table. The table now reduced to dust and the two untouched cups of tea spilled their content all over the floor.

Needless to say, Urahara quietened on the spot. Perhaps he had pushed the other a little too much? He was proven right when Shirosaki spoke again.

"I have no qualms if you mock me. I care not if you call me names. But for you to make fun of my family. That I can't forgive. What's so bad about two souls loving each other? Just because one is a Hollow and the other is not? Is it really so unimaginable that Hollows can possess a heart? Don't make me laugh. In all the millenniums Shinigami and Hollows have been around, neither side tried even remotely to understand one another. Just killing each other off, like it's the most normal thing to do. Do you believe we are heartless? Do you think we are mindless beasts? I can't judge you or anyone else for believing so. Most Hollows are just like that. That does not mean everyone is. For as long as I can remember only two persons have ever seen beyond the front cover. Only two have ever seen more than just monsters. They were the only ones to look at us without hatred or the desire to annihilate us on the spot. Hollows are seen as evil and mean creatures, don't' get me wrong. As I did say before, most if not the vast majority behave like that. Shinigami are rightful 'paladins' set to make the world right. Yet, here I am… Can you understand how messed-up it is to live in a world that sees you as nothing more than a freak of nature? Neither Hollow nor Shinigami. Hated by both sides?"

Shirosaki paused to take several deep breaths. He had to cool down before he unintentional blew up the whole store. Most importantly, he had to control his reiatsu, least he would get Ossan concerned. He did not trust fully Getabōshi with Ossan's existence. He was not sure if he should share his history either. But wanted to give him a try. Somewhere deep within, he wanted to give a chance to this lunatic. This maniac could have tried to kill him back then, when he had a blade on his neck. This nutcase could have tried to kill him back then, not that he would succeed in scratching his hierro. But he did have the chance and option. Instead, he wanted to talk and share information. That was the main reason Shirosaki obliged and the reason he was about to share the secret behind his birth.

Shirosaki exhaled loudly and gave Urahara his most serious look. "If… If I chose to tell you a secret, would you be able to keep it?"

Urahara had been silent throughout the others emotional onslaught. He did hit a sore spot there. Thankfully, he had Tessai and his barriers. Therefore, he was positive that Shirosaki's outburst was not felt outside these walls. If what Shirosaki said was true, he had a flawless hybrid right in front of his eyes. A perfect combination of Hollow and Shinigami. The result of his many experiments and Aizen's ultimate goal. And it was sitting right in front of him. He must be really lucky today. On the other hand, the Hollow… No, Shirosaki-san was asking for privacy. Hmm… Ma, he could give him that much as well as an apology.

Decision made, he removed his hat and placed it on his lap.

"My apologies Shirosaki-san. I had not expected such a strong reaction. I can tell it must be a sensitive subject for you. I do give you my word that your secret will be strictly confidential, under the condition my associate Tessai-san can know as well. I can't keep anything from him, thus, it would be an empty promise should I say otherwise."

Shirosaki was fine with that. That big guy was again behind the door anyway, so it was only reasonable.

"Fine. How about you tell him to come in then? This will take a while."

Tessai, who had been listening on the conversation entered the room a new mini-table in one hand and three hot cups of tea on a tray in his other hand. He placed the table and distributed the new tea choosing to sit next to his boss. Conveniently, Urahara placed his bucket-hat back on his head. No words needed to be exchanged. It was obvious by the posture of both males, that they were eager to hear more.

Shirosaki sighed again and started.

"As cliché as it may sound, this is tale starts a long time ago. Pay attention, for I won't be repeating it anytime soon."

* * *

Those at the Urahara Shoten failed to see night had befallen the city. Several hours had passed, since Shirosaki and Urahara had first met.

In another part of town, an individual did not miss the spike of Shirosaki's reiatsu. Having just tucked in the sleeping girl in bed, Ossan was getting nervous by the second.

 _'That was Shirosaki's reiatsu. I had expected for him to be already here. And now, even though masked by an unusual barrier, his reiatsu skyrocketed only to disappear again. Just what is going on Shirosaki?'_

* * *

 _Yay, Chapter X done ^.^_

 _Will you guys believe me, I had originally planned for all these 10 chapters to be in the first five? It's just that the story took me wholly and I ended up getting more into it with more details and stuff x3_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	11. Chapter 11

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Chapter XI_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings as per usual._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

Glad to hear I was able to get Urahara. I was seriously worried I might fail since he is such an amazing and unique character :)

Thanks for the continuous support. Without you all, I would have probably been too scared to post beyond chapter one. So happy the story is liked :D

* * *

 _Chapter XI_

 _'… Just what is going on Shirosaki?'_

Ossan was considering going to Shirosaki's location. He could not track his reiatsu seeing as it was concealed. However, being the resourceful Quincy, he would always admit to being, he could go near the place from where Shirosaki's reiatsu last spiked. His aim would be off for a small amount and from there he could always track the barrier that was stifling Shirosaki's pressure.

The only problem to his master plan, was the sleeping Masaki. He was not inclined to the idea of waking her up, even less to bring her with him as he was unsure what he would have to deal with. He scoffed. Shirosaki was well capable of getting out of any situation on his own. Yet, his camaraderie with the Hollow was awakening the desire to offer a helping hand. Must be due to the time they've spent together waiting… Waiting for a chance to see _him_ again. An opportunity to make things right. He still blamed himself for not having realized just how dangerous Soren was sooner. He had been blind to Ichigo's sufferings during his childhood and later unable to foresee the outcome. He should have listened to the Hollow's pleads and warnings.

Here they are, connected by the desire to fix their pasts with hopes of a better future. They had promised, in their own ways, that the tragedy would be altered. They wanted to give Ichigo the possibility to be reborn, live and be happy.

Masaki was the ray of sunshine that brought back life into their dark nights. The rope that lead out of a bottomless pit. He was aware that both him and Shirosaki were more energetic than just a few days ago. Was it due to her presence or the probability she represented? Or was it caused just by her bubbly personality? It was a mystery, but a pleasant one, so he accepted the good it brought to both their lives.

Even more of a reason not to leave Masaki alone or to drag her in possible danger. He would have to figure a way to prevail over his 'spirit of inquiry' more commonly known as curiosity. Even thought, not knowing what was happening was driving him mad. If only he could find an alternative solution.

As thought his pleas were heard, a knock on the door was heard. Who in the world could it be at this time of the night? Certainly, none of the staff for fear of losing their posts should they be reported of disturbing the distinguished guests. Using his refined senses, he was able to immediately tell who was on the opposite side.

 _'Why would Soken come after us? I was sure everything had been said at the Ishida's manor. I guess to find out I will have to ask him directly.'_

He opened the door gesticulating the unexpected visitor to be silent and follow him. Soken entered the room and immediately understood the need to remain silent as the little girl was in a deep sleep. Meanwhile, Ossan closed and locked the door and prompted the other to follow him to the adjoining room. Once they were inside his room and the door was closed, Ossan questioned the reason for such a late visit.

Soken was dressed in a white reishi armor. A few blue stripes on the front, around the sleeves and on the rims of the trousers decorated the protective gear. His bow was not present, but being a Quincy that meant nothing as it was just a matter of having it formed when needed. He made a light bow and spoke in a quiet voice.

"Apologies, Heika. It was not my intention to impose, especially at this hour. I merely wished to meet the companion You spoke about. A certain 'Shirosaki' as Masaki-san mentioned. It would be beneficial to know all members involved as well as inform You of an unusual Hollow reiatsu that was just recently felt."

 _'He must have felt Shirosaki's reiatsu just as I did. I have to find a way to either avoid the chance of the two meeting or letting Soken know what Shirosaki is. The latter sounds like a better option.'_

Deciding to tell the truth, Ossan offered for Soken to sit on the chair near the dressing table.

"You may want to sit down for some time. The reiatsu you sensed was indeed similar to that of a Hollow. However, I can guarantee you it is not a matter to be concerned."

Ossan could see the confusion and surprise on Soken's face. As predicted the other started to make rushed remarks and expressed his concern for the wellbeing of humans. Ossan put a stop to Soken's rambling by lifting a hand and requesting silence.

"I must demand for this conversation to remain between the two of us as a top priority secret. What I am about to say might confuse you or sound unbelievable. Nonetheless, everything I will reveal is the truth. A truth I've been living with for centuries. Therefore, I request for you to listen patiently without interruptions until I finish. Have I made myself clear?"

The tone of voice was most appropriate for a King, leaving no room for arguments. Soken was left with nothing but acceptance and nodded his head as silent as requested.

"Now, first of all Shirosaki is a unique individual, a Hollow and Shinigami hybrid. The reiatsu you've felt belonged to him. The reason why it was unusual, is hybrid because you have never encountered anything similar. No human or other person spiritually aware or not is in any danger from Shirosaki. I can guarantee that with my life. We crossed roads a long time ago thanks to an individual who was precious to the both of us. Unfortunate circumstances have caused for this person to perish and we've been together ever since. You could say we are driven by an equal motive. Shirosaki is not dangerous, unless provoked or in danger. He does tend to overreact and his reiatsu rises when upset, but he would never attack without a good reason."

The poor seated Quincy thought his brain might explode. A docile Hollow? What a ridiculous notion. Yet, knowing the stories about the person in front of him, he was, surprisingly, reassured. The Heika had been known for his righteous judgement and sharp intellect. If a person of such caliber was stating without any traces of doubt that a Hollow could cooperate and coexist with spiritually aware individuals, he would believe. One of the many reasons he left the new army was due to the clash of beliefs. He wanted to think that Quincy and Shinigami could cooperate and work together without disrupting the balance of the worlds. After all, both shared a common goal. Why was it so difficult for Quincy and Shinigami to collaborate? And here he was, hearing a liaison between a Quincy and a Hollow existed. Amazing. He had an even greater desire to meet the unknown Hollow. He would have to speak up, if he wanted for his wish to come true.

"I see. Heika, what You have said is far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. During Your stay at our house, I did mention I left the new recruits since they were breaking tradition. Although, that was just one of the many reasons. One of the strongest motives for my 'desertion', sort to speak, was due to our different opinion on how to deal with Hollows and Shinigami. I have great confidence Quincy and Shinigami could join forces and work toward a brighter future in balance and harmony. Unfortunately, neither side is open to such suggestions. Heika, Your story served to reaffirm my thoughts to be correct. If a hybrid is capable of living with no major issues with a Quincy, there stands reason to believe a similar approach could be used with Quincy and Shinigami. Heika, I had the wish to see this individual before. Now my desire has only increased. Is there any possibility You would approve for our meeting?

Surprise, surprise. He met another open-minded soul. A rarity for sure. A small nearly invisible smile appeared on Ossan's figure. One would probably miss it, since it disappeared as soon as it came. He was back to square one. He still wanted to check on Shirosaki and did not want to leave Masaki behind. Perhaps, he could ask Soken to watch over Masaki, while he went to Shirosaki?

"I am glad to see you are taking the information well. And I am even more relieved to have met a kindred spirit. I can most certainly arrange a rendezvous for the two of you. Still, before we plan so much in advance, I would like to ask for a favor. As you noticed before, Shirosaki's reiatsu considerably rose a while ago. I wish to see what was the cause behind the occurrence. As mentioned before, Shirosaki is well adept at controlling his pressure. It slightly worries me for it to have been felt so abruptly. Would you mind staying here and watching over Masaki, while I check on Shirosaki?"

Soken could understand, but he offered an even better solution.

"May I make a suggestion Heika? We could take Masaki-san to one of the rooms at my place. A safer location does not exist for miles around. She would be protected by all within the perimeters."

Ossan considered the option and found no faults. Using his shadows, they could be at the Ishida's in a matter of seconds and could use the same technique to reach close to Shirosaki.

"In that case, let us make haste, less we may miss all the excitement this night offers."

Ossan made his way back to the still slumbering Masaki. He took her gently in his hands and motioned for Soken to grab a hold of his hand. All three disappeared in a flash of black.

* * *

Shirosaki left out another loud groan. He would have wished to avoid this conversation altogether. Meh, he was told it was not a big deal, to be proud of what and who he was and some other things along those lines. Hah! Bet you did not see that one coming! A Hollow being reassured. Yeah, he too would never admit that to anyone.

"Before I start, can either of you tell me how much you know about Hollow evolution?"

Both Urahara and Tessai looked at each other and then at Shirosaki. What an odd way to start a tale. Urahara went ahead and gave the short version.

"Just as you mentioned Shirosaki-san, we Shinigami have truly neglected to study in more details Hollows, besides figuring out ways of purifying them in an easier way. We do know of the existence of different Hollow types. The regular Hollows born from human souls who stayed far too long in the World of the Living after they died or from souls bitten or nearly devoured by other Hollows. At some point, Hollows are able to evolve and would become Menos Grande otherwise known as Gillian. A Gillian can either remain as is, or go further into the level of an Adjucha. The final stage would be the one you mentioned before. Vasto Lorde. Not much is known about Hollows above a Menos Grande level, besides that they are very few in numbers and rarely come to the human world."

In an attempt to lighten the mood up, Urahara pulled out his fan and waved it in front of him.

"So, you see. That would be all we know. I am sure a rarity such as yourself would know more on the subject."

Spanning the fan shut, he gave Shirosaki a heated glare. "Care to enlighten us?"

Shirosaki could only sneer at Urahara and the silent assistant. "Yeah. Have you ever heard of the term Arrancar?"

Silence befall the room. The tension in the air skyrocketed. Shirosaki took that as his que to continue.

"Judging by the expression on your faces, I'll say yes. It's something Adjucha and Vasto Lorde Hollows can do. They break a part of their mask to gain Shinigami powers. Worry not, last time I checked, they were low in numbers. Supposedly it is an excruciatingly painful thing to do, so not many are keen on trying. Ma, I can't really blame them. How would you feel like if you were to try and rip a part of your soul? Well, those few who try are probably not even aware of what they're actually doing to themselves when attempting to gain Shinigami powers in that way. Stupid, greedy, power hungry fools the majority of cases."

Urahara was bursting from excitement. He had a living hybrid in his store who seemed to be a Hollow encyclopedia. Only his desire to hear more kept him firmly in place, else he might have already smothered Shirosaki-san with more questions and tried to experiment on him. That and the unquenchable teeny-tiny suspicion that Shirosaki works for Aizen. Though that notion was so irrelevant he decided to let it drop. He was a genius after all, he would see any silly attempt a mile away. This did not seem like something Aizen would do. No, Aizen was far too arrogant to send a person capable of sharing such juicy information. So, instead he focused on what Shirosaki just said about Arrancars.

"Shirosaki-san, I am a bit baffled. You said they break part of their masks which is part of their soul. However, all the knowledge we Shinigami have indicate that when a plus becomes Hollow their heart becomes the mask they wear. If Hollows aiming to become Arrancar must break their mask, doesn't this mean they would irrefutably lose part of their heart? You said that they rip off a part of their soul instead, that would mean ripping a fundamental piece of themselves and should forevermore be unable to live as they did before. Concluding, they should become weaker as they would be incomplete. But instead as we all know, they gain Shinigami powers. Any ideas on how that became possible?"

Shirosaki smirked. Shinigami and their lack of adequate knowledge.

"Che. This only shows to prove how much you Shinigami lack in understanding. Yes, the mask is the heart and what is the heart but a fragment of a soul? Not just a section, but one of the more important parts at that. It is the core of all emotions. I'm not sure if you have ever met and Adjucha or Vasto Lorde, but in case you did not, I'll tell you that the hole in their chests' is in different locations. Since it's not the heart as the organ that sets in motion feelings and stuff like that. Nope, and it's not like what humans believe either. Humans would say emotions come from various chemical reactions and what not. But none of those are correct. The so called 'heart' is just the portion of your soul which expands, shares, stores and teaches you how to feel. Back on Arrancars. Let me ask you this: 'When a Hollow breaks part of their mask, what happens with those broken pieces?' There is but only one answer. Those parts, set free, merge and unite to form a Zanpakuto. Voila, congratulation! You get a Hollow with a Zanpakuto. Basically, a Hollow with Shinigami powers."

Shirosaki paused to see the reaction on the two and was not disappointed to see shock and a to his dismay friction of understanding. Aww, not fair. They were taking all the fun out of this. It would have been more hilarious to see them struggling to comprehend. Oh well, he may just continue.

"Get it now? Arrancars lose nothing by removing their masks. Sure, it hurts like hell to rip off a piece of yourself, but that piece never leaves you, it just evolves and turns in a different form. Vasto Lorde and Arrancar Hollows are the only two blessed or cursed with gaining back their previously forgotten humanity. Arrancars gain their humanity via their acquired Zanpakuto and most go insane due to the large amount of feelings they suddenly start to sense. Only few remain sane enough and you don't see them coming to the World of the Living, simply because they have no need to come here. They can live from the air and sand in Hueco Mundo, an occasional Adjucha or other Vasto Lorde here and there surely doesn't bother them much. Unless they remembered how to feel sympathy. Vasto Lorde are a bit different. Once you reach the form of Vasto Lorde, you automatically become more human-like in appearance. As a Vasto Lorde, you regain some emotions. Power hungry fools also break their masks thinking they will gain even more power, but they actually regress to the level of Adjucha with Shinigami powers. Most low power Vasto Lorde attempt to do it for strength and the chance of improving their Shinigami powers as they reached the peak of their Hollow ones."

Shirosaki paused to take a deep breath. Man, this was getting long. He looked at the, now, cold tea. So far, Urahara had tried to trick him in one way or another. It would be logical for something to be in the tea. Shirosaki, did sense some hesitation radiating from the crazy shop-keeper and that pissed him off to no end. He was opening up so much and sharing info and still the lunatic was not satisfied. He sternly looked at Getabōshi.

"Before I proceed, tell me what's in the tea? If it's poison, I'll definitely not take it and you'll have to forget the chance of getting more research material for I'll be 'gone with the wind'. I'll give you the possibility to tell me straight forward what's in it and if you lie, trust me I'll know. So, I ask you again. What's in the tea?"

Urahara pulled his fan out, again and covered his face. Trying to look as innocent as he could pull off. Shirosaki's serious face made him realize there was no point in kidding around.

 _'Heh, the cat is out of the bag. Frankly I feel as though he can read through my mind with little to no efforts. He would be a scary opponent in a fight.'_

The hand holding the fan was moved to the side and he used it to make a few waves as he spoke.

"Ma, ma Shirosaki-san. There is nothing to be worried about. The tea has a small dose of a truth serum of my personal invention. It is fashioned in a way that doesn't change the smell, taste or texture of the beverage it gets mixed with. It also contains several vitamins and is beneficial for nice and smooth digestion. Seeing as you saw through this little trick of mine, you don't have to drink it if you don't want to. You can have mine instead"

He closed the fan and went to change the two cups. Tessai at his side was panicking on the inside a bit, as he did not see that coming. Thus, only poured the serum in the cup meant for the Hollow. Shirosaki's well trained eyes did not miss even a single move. He had the whole picture figured out. The big guy was in charge of putting the liquid in his drink, but only placed it in his drink instead of putting it in everyone's. He could avoid the serum by just drinking from either of their cups.

Heh! Deciding to give them another heart attack, he swiftly took his cup of tea and drained the content. Yup, both were losing their minds. That's the kind of face they should have more often. Accept for Getabōshi and that infernal paper fan. Just when did he pull it out again to cover his face? Wow, his focus was a little off. Why were there two Getabōshi's now? Dear Lord, please someone, anyone, tell him they were not multiplying. Huh? He was relaxed. Far more relaxed than he had been in a while. His mind was getting blank. Must be the stupid thing he drank, if only he could remember exactly what it was…

Urahara had not anticipated for Shirosaki-san to willingly take the truth serum. He had meant to cheat him into drinking it. For Shirosaki-san to take it of his own volition… It changed his whole picture of the Hollow. He saw Shirosaki's understanding of the situation. Shirosaki-san had known that the only tea infused with the serum was the one offered to him, yet he took it and, judging by the unfocused look in his face, he was fully under its' influence. He had to be positive, what he saw on the Hollow was really as per his deductions. So, he asked Tessai:

"Tessai-san, may I re-confirm that only Shirosaki-san's cup contained the serum?"

The taller male was as astonished as his boss and only confirmed with a slight nod of his head.

"Well, then. Let's get this show started. Shirosaki-san can you hear me?"

Shirosaki remained emotionless and only replied with a: "Yes."

Urahara was getting excited. "I will ask you several questions in a row and I want you to answer them in the same order once I stop. Can you do that?"

Another "Yes." Was his answer.

Uh, Urahara was becoming overexcited. "Perfect. Here are the questions: Do you know a man named Aizen Sousuke? Do you work for Aizen? Are you using a new type of gigai or other shell to interact with humans in the living world? What are you doing in this city? What is your purpose for being here? Is everything you have told me the truth? Have there been any untruths since we've met? Are you really born a hybrid from a Hollow father and Shinigami mother?"

Still under the effects of the serum, Shirosaki responded with an even tone. "No, I do not know a man named Aizen. No, I do not work for that man. No, I am not using any artifact or other objects to be visible to humans. I have come to this city because my partner decided to come here and visit his relatives. My purpose is to protect those I care about and when I have the time, help those in need. Yes, everything I have said is the truth. No, I said no lies since we've met. Yes, I was born this way. My father was a Vasto Lorde Hollow and my mother a true blood Shinigami."

Urahara was very close to jumping in the air and was tempted to start dancing like the crazy maniac he tended to be. The serum was a great success and he was left with no doubts about Shirosaki's story and intentions. A lucky and exhilarating day indeed.

He was about to start his next round of questions, curious about Shirosaki's partner and the explanation he had received about his purpose. But he got stopped by an unusual feel in the air and Tessai's sudden apprehension. He gave Tessai a meaningful look, silently asking what was the matter. The distressed glance Tessai sent his way along with same man standing up were causing him even more stress.

" **Tenchou*** , the barrier is gone."

* * *

 _Another chapter out and about ^.^_

 _As usual, I'll be looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

For the forgetful ones ***Tenchou*** stands for 'shop manager' in Japanese.

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	12. Chapter 12

_Hello everyone :)_

 _What better way to celebrate the End of the Year and the fresh beginning of a New one, but with a chapter? I present Chapter XII._

 _Happy New Year everyone and to all! May it be the best one yet! xD xD xD_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings as per usual._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

Hehe, missing barriers… truth serums… what could possibly go wrong x3 x3 x3

Not to mention, poor, poor Shirosaki, still under the influence of a truth potion, who knows what kind of 'evil' infested my brain and mind x3

* * *

 _Chapter XII_

"Tenchou, the barrier is gone."

* * *

Soken could not remember a time he was this glad to see the entrance door to his home. Coming out from the shadows was not an experience he had undergone before. Not that he had used shadows as a method of transportation prior to this episode. He certainly hoped it would not reoccur anytime soon.

His faithful butler Cord was already waiting for them at the door and assisted in escorting his master and guests to an empty spare room. Having been in servitude his whole life, he had been aware of his master's intentions and easily concluded possible outcomes. Being a perfectionist, he always strived to anticipate his masters needs and attempted to predict at the minimum three different scenarios. Thus, he had requested for two guest rooms to be prepared and on stand-by as a precaution.

Soken was proud of Cord. He had been a lost child in a huge world. Cord's father had been a Quincy, married to a common human girl. Once born, for some reason the mother could not stand to see her own child and left him behind, fortunately, to his father. A gentle man who tried hard to provide for the both of them as well as give his son the love expected to be felt from two parents instead of just one. Regrettably, Cord's father died in an accident, leaving the poor soul to wonder alone. Being a Gemischt did not facilitate the young ones' situation.

Soken encountered the boy just moments before he was eaten by a Hollow. Since then, Cord swore to serve and protect the Ishida's until the day he either died or repaid his debt. Had Soken arrived even seconds later, nothing would have been left of the child. Not only that, but Cord had been offered a new home and family. It was Cords' decision to become a butler, that way he could always be on the ready for Soken-sama.

Cord easily guided his master and the guests through the complex house. They reached the first spare room and he politely opened the door for the two males behind him. Soken entered, followed by the Heika. The room was painted in a pleasant cream color with light brown furniture and a large beg. White silk covers and feather pillows decorated with striped of silver at the edges. Ossan gave a quick glance at Soken, seeming to ask permission. Receiving a nod, he moved toward the bed and gently laid Masaki, who had snuggled in his arms. He was given a warm velvet cover cream with white and red dots, by the ever-perceptive Cord. When did the guy enter the room? He had been so preoccupied with Masaki, he paid no attention to small details which normally would not be overlooked.

He sent Soken a pointed look toward the exit. Nothing needed to be said between the three, they moved in unison one after the other and closed the door behind them. Once in the hallway, Cord was about to escort the Heika to the nearby room, also prepared and ready to be occupied. He was stopped once Heika spoke up.

"Now that Masaki is here we can move to our next task."

Soken knew their plan was to go to the Hollow's location and dreaded the mere idea of using that unusual technique. He met eyes with Cord.

"Cord, may I ask you to make sure our guest is safe? Should she awake, please reassure her everything is fine and care for any need she may have. Heika and I should be back before she wakes-up. However, in the event we should be late, please treat her as any member of this family. Especially since she will be moving in soon. Kindly inform the rest of the household accordingly."

The young man, bowed down in respect with an affirmative "Yes, Soken-sama. Will Heika-sama stay as well? We have prepared the room to the left of Masaki-sama for your convenience Heika."

The Heika had not expected to hear a room was ready for him. Especially considering they had literally popped out of nowhere.

"I appreciate your kind efforts and offer. Nonetheless, I am afraid I have to borrow your Master for a little while longer. Please do keep an eye on Masaki. At the moment she is not able to conceal her reiatsu very well. She will improve in time, thought, considering her current situation, please do everything you can to conceal it."

Cord nodded and bowed. Heika used the nearest shadow, enlarged it and entered. Soken, reluctantly followed the other. The two were gone. Not a single trace of reiatsu was left behind to indicate they had ever been there in the first place. Cord was left speechless. Never had he seen such an ability. He had heard about it, but never had the pleasure to witness. He felt honored. Taking a chair from the nearby room, he placed the object near the door leading to Masaki-sama's room. He sat down, preferring to fulfil the important duty himself. Using the servitors' phone, he sent the message to the rest of the staff, informing them of the little Lady's presence.

Meanwhile, the two Quincy made it out of yet another shadow. A light chill went down Soken's spine. He really hoped the return would be more pleasant with less shadows and more Hirenkyaku. Looking around them, they found themselves in a remote part of town.

The Heika was the first to move with sure steps to the location where he sensed his missing partner. It took no time at all to find the wall that was hindering their search. Behind the annoyance was a worn-down little store. Heika raised his hand and softly placed it on the top layer of the barricade. Whoever created this barrier was good. Too good. Judging by the feel, it must have been created by either an extremely skilled Shinigami Captain or Kido specialist.

He scoffed, as thought something of this level would be enough to keep him out. He had no need to destroy it, he would simply absorb the bothersome obstacle.

"Soken-san, please be at the ready. I can sense two significant presences behind the barrier. Most likely Shinigami, although, I am not fully certain."

The other nodded and prepared his reishi bow. Soken could sense the obstruction, but was unable to see or touch it. Watching the Heika move his hand in the air, he was sure the other was more than capable to remove the unwanted barricade. He was looking forward to meeting the Hollow, two Shinigami or other being will not dissuade him.

Ossan did move his hands in a circular manner. He was attempting to undetectably infuse a small part of his own reiatsu into the barrier's reishi. Once that was done, he simply absorbed the combined energies. Child's play. If the creator of this nuisance was as good as what he just absorbed, then he or she must be already aware of it's disappearance.

Motioning for Soken to follow, he moved cautiously toward the entrance to the shop, now guided by Shirosaki's reiatsu. He had learned a long time ago to sense Shirosaki even when he was keeping his reiatsu at the lowest. Something felt wrong with Shirosaki. He was calm, way to calm knowing Shirosaki's temper. It was unnatural. They entered the shop and continued toward the register. There was a door that lead further inside the establishment.

They were just about to reach the door's handle, when it opened on its own. A tall 6'7'' muscular tan-skinned guy with square glasses, white shirt, blue apron, gray trousers and black shoes was the one who opened it. The expression on the face of the unknown man was stoic and motionless. Yet, Ossan, who had worn such masks himself for the longest of times, was able to tell the subtle signs of frustration, mild fright and surprise. Obviously, this man was the one to set-up the barrier and most likely did not expect to see two individuals. No, this guy must have been able to feel Soken, but could not feel Ossan. Being the 'Father of the Quincy' had its benefits. One of those is the talent to make his reiatsu completely invisible to all around him. If one was not to see Ossan with their eyes wide open, one could not even tell he was there at all.

All signals of distress were smoothly re-covered up by the stranger, who addressed them with a deep voice.

"Tenchou is expecting you, please follow me. But please do leave your arms behind, as you can see, this is a tiny store and we carry no weapons."

Both Quincies looked at each other. Ossan had never even materialized his bow, he had not seen any need as it was a nanosecond away. He did nod his head at Soken, assuring the other everything would be fine and to dispel his weapon.

"Very well, we will be glad to meet with your 'Tenchou'. I believe he has a companion of mine whom I would like to retrieve. If you would be so kind to lead the way, we will follow right behind you. I can give you my word we will not attack unless assaulted."

At those words, Soken released the hold on his bow and the reishi forming it dissipated. The tall man was once again shocked at the display, but made no further comments. He gestured to the door he came from in a way that said 'Please follow me' without the use of words.

* * *

 _'Tenchou, the barrier is gone.'_

Urahara re-heard those words over and over in his head. He was beside himself, bursting with excitement and worry. Something out there right in front of his little shop was able to destroy one of Tessai's barriers. Such a bothersome situation. He only hoped it was no one form Seireitei. That wouldn't do, especially considering Shirosaki-san who was still under the influence of his concoction.

Tessai remained standing. There were no words strong enough to express his astonishment. The barrier was dissipated in a most peculiar fashion. It did not feel as though someone destroyed or disrupted it, merely made it vanish. He could tell it had not been a Shinigami's work. But then who or what? The big guy was brought out of his musing by his bosses questioning.

"What do you mean with 'gone' Tessai-san? Was it altered or destroyed?"

The answer he received unsettled Urahara even further. "Neither Tenchou. Just vanished."

Urahara lowered his hat enough to cover his eyes from sight. There was only one remaining option. To be sure, he quickly asked the still vulnerable Hollow. "Shirosaki-san, your companion would not happen to be a Quincy?"

Shirosaki answered as calmly as before. "Yes."

If ever Urahara thought his brain may explode, now was as good a time as ever. He could buy the hybrid part. He was smart enough to believe a Hollow and Shinigami might for one reason or the other unite or work together. But a Quincy and a Hollow? That was unimaginable.

 _'Ma, no other option, may as well invite the intruder in.'_

They both heard the front of the shop being opened. "Tessai-san, why don't you bring our unexpected visitor in? Oh, could you also bring in more tea while you're at it?"

The taller male simply responded with his usual. "Hai, Tenchou." And left to fetch the trespasser, turned guest.

Urahara had not been deemed a genius for no reason and was known as a man ready for anything. He normally planned for everything and any probabilities. This was definitely not one of the scenarios he could have ever taken into consideration. Still, he'll make do with what he has and at the moment that is not much.

The 'intruder' resulted to be not a single person, but two. Another detail that skipped him.

'Dear Reiou, I'm really getting out of shape.'

On the other hand, it was no wonder. The man with brown hair was untraceable. Not one slip of reiatsu, nothing to show he was here. And yet, he was looking at him. The other individual was definitely a Quincy. His reiatsu gave it out perfectly. So, now he had another mystery at hand.

Trying to be a proper host, Urahara stood from his seat, fan back in hand and a large smile on his face. He did what was only expected and welcomed his unexpected 'customers'.

"A very good evening, gentlemen. Welcome to the Urahara Shoten. I am Urahara Kisuke, the handsome and humble owner of this fine place. Although, we are currently closed, you did go through some trouble to be here. For this occasion, I will work over hours. How may I be of assistance?"

Judging by the posture of the two, Urahara believed for the undetectable one to be the ring leader. Soon proven right, when mentioned male approached and spoke.

"Good evening Urahara-san. By now, I am sure you must have figured out we are not your everyday customers. We are here to check on my young ward who is by all appearances sitting down in this room. If you don't mind, we will retrieve my protégé and we will be on our way. No harm will befall you, your kind partner or your modest store."

Urahara was certainly excited. They did not even begin the conversation and the big words were already spoken. He covered his face with the face, feigning ignorance.

"Oh, you mean Shirosaki-san here? We were just having a nice conversation over some tea. Since you are here for him, would you mind joining us? Tessai-san should be back soon with some fresh leaves."

Ossan was oh so tempted to simply take Shirosaki and leave. The only reason he did not was Shirosaki's odd behavior. He had not moved an inch from his spot, nor spoken which was so not his style. He figured something must have been added in his drink. He did sit to Shirosaki's right, trying to gauge the reaction of this Urahara person. The reiatsu, although concealed, was indeed Captain level. The gestures and subtle moves indicated a brilliant mind complimented by decades of dedicated trainings. This person was deadly efficient, no doubts. They would have to tread carefully. Soken, whose mind was trying to process all the new data, sat to his Heika's right side as well. He did not wish to risk for the Hollow to abruptly pull out from whatever trance he must have fallen.

"A cup of tea will certainly not hurt." Looking at the still unmoving Shirosaki, Ossan addressed him directly. "How are you Shirosaki? Have you been treated alright? Is everything under control? And did you know there was something in the tea before you drank it?"

Both Soken and Urahara were surprised at the sudden barrage of questions toward the Hollow. Soken was under the impression the Heika was forewarning him about the poisoned tea. While Urahara's mind was running a mile per millisecond. His thoughts were going around the lines of: _'This guy is good. He deduced so much with so little information. Amazing!'_

Shirosaki did answer those questions in the same docile manner. "I'm doing alright. So far, I've been treated well. Yes, everything is mostly under control. Yes, I knew there was a truth serum or something in the tea before I drank it."

Now, these answers were unexpected. At least the last two. And once again, it was Ossan who made the first move.

Ossan had quickly put two and two together and continued with the questions. "You said you were aware your drink had been tempered with, yet you still drank it? Why in the world would you do something like that?"

The answers came as expected. "Yes, I was even told after I became suspicious about the tea. I drank it knowingly because there was no other way I would have been trusted."

"Why did you have the need to be trusted by these people? Are they enemies? Do you want me to get you out of here?" continued Ossan.

"They have information. I wanted them to trust me so we could share intel. No, I don't think them to be enemies. No, there won't be any need to get me out of here… for now."

Ossan did not miss the slight difference in the manner the questions were being answered. Shirosaki was already fighting whatever was coursing through his body. Knowing the Hollow for as long as he did, it would be a matter of minutes before the serum runs completely out. He did glance at their 'host' and spoke.

"It would seem you have been rather hospitable with Shirosaki and for that you have my gratitude. I would like to know why you went to all the trouble of getting Shirosaki and having him take a spiked drink?"

Urahara was baffled. This day was getting better and better. He was positive the elderly looking guy who had yet to speak, was a Quincy. Concluding that the other must be the same and having already heard from Shirosaki-san his partner was a Quincy… There were no mistakes, he was sitting in a room with a Hollow-Shinigami hybrid and two Quincies. The shocking thing was no one was trying to kill each other. They were all seated and would be soon having tea. A most fruitful night indeed. He had hoped of getting more information out of the still drugged Hollow but it seemed he would have to change tactics. They may all be open and truthful, since he had the underlying feeling they would be seeing more of each other.

"In all honesty, I stumbled upon Shirosaki-san while investigating an unusual remnant of a Hollow attack which occurred not too long ago. The Shinigami assigned to the city of Narukishi was killed near the borders of Karakura and the one belonging to this town was called back to Soul Society for a full-scale investigation. Now that the investigation has been concluded, the Shinigami in Soul Society believe this was an accident where both sides perished."

Ossan only nodded his head in understanding. Shirosaki had mentioned something early this morning. He was supposed to figure out what happened. Seems he was cornered while doing this particular task. That left him with high hopes the mansion had been done prior to this mess.

"Shirosaki did mention something similar to me early this morning. If you need to know, I was the one to ask him to investigate the occurrence. You see, we both like to avoid unnecessary confrontations, when possible."

He said that, but it was only half truths which did not pass by the perceptive Urahara. The shopkeeper could see so much more to this than what appeared on the surface. However, he himself was trying not to give too many details, thus, he would have to minimize his curiosity.

"I see. At first, I believed Shirosaki-san might have had something to do with the attack. Logically, I wanted to interrogate him about the reason behind the attack. We ended up having some minor, ahem, trust issues. Shirosaki-san took the truth potion of his own volition and we managed to confirm his side of the story to be true. Now, I am a scientist first and foremost, so you can only imagine my desire to know more about Shirosaki-san. A perfect hybrid, if I may say so. Naturally, I was about to request for further details from him when we got interrupted by your arrival. I did want to ask Shirosaki-san here more about his purpose for being here and a partner who chose to come here for a family visit. Can I correctly presume you are his so called 'partner' and Shirosaki-san followed you to visit your Quincy relatives?"

Ossan saw no reason to deny and simply confirmed. "That would be correct. The gentleman to my right is one of the mentioned family members I came to visit. I did ask Shirosaki to look into a few matters in my stead as he is not fond of Quincies. One of the tasks was the Shinigami incident. Should we plan to stay longer in this town, we need to be aware of what is happening and what we can do to prevent needless lost lives."

Urahara could see no faults with those answers, so he decided to push forward. "And his purpose? He gave me a most unusual purpose. That is for a person who is partially Hollow, of course. He said his purpose was to 'protect those he cared about and those in need' or at least when he had the time. Could you possibly enlighten me on that…oh, uh mm…? Quincy-san?"

Ossan closed his eyes, contemplating his next words carefully. He had the feeling this Shinigami wanted to remain as invisible to Soul Society as Shirosaki and himself. There had been no sneak attacks and Shirosaki was still in one piece. He realized what Shirosaki had done, give to received. He would have to remember to praise him once he was not drugged.

The huge man from before came back with fresh tea. Ossan could immediately tell this time the tea had not been altered. He could sense it from the glasses wearing male. He took a sip to ready himself and to give Soken the green light in regards to their drinks.

"Kurosaki… Kurosaki, Juhabach and to my right is Ishida Soken. As to Shirosaki's statement, I am afraid it is a rather personal question. I would recommend to ask him yourself on another occasion. Know this though, Shirosaki and I have spent a long time together. He is not your average Hollow and even though he is partly Shinigami, he is so much more. He had a troublesome past, a past which connects the two of us in an unusual way. That same past is the reason we have been traveling together and is the cause behind Shirosaki's words. I am sorry, but I won't be able to give you any further details."

Urahara looked at the now named Kurosaki-san straight in the eyes as though he was searching for something. He must have found whatever he was looking for as he took a sip of his own already cold tea. Kurosaki-san was right. He should ask Shirosaki-san his past another time. Which meant they would probably stay in touch. He was ready to let things be for the time being.

"Thank you for confiding this much Kurosaki-san. I shall aspire to make Shirosaki-san more comfortable in the future. I see none of you are enemies and in fact I believe we may have better chances and results if we work together. Shirosaki-san did give me some bad news. The Shinigami believe that during the confrontation, both sides perished, remember? However, Shirosaki-san strongly believes the Hollow escaped. This is not the first time I've felt an unusual Hollow around the city of Narukishi and frankly, I'm afraid it may just be the beginning. Another reason I had difficulties in trusting Shirosaki-san is precisely because he is a hybrid. There is a Shinigami who is trying to create the perfect hybrid of Hollow-Shinigami or Shinigami-Hollow. This person is highly dangerous and a master manipulator. I do hope Shirosaki-san will be able to forgive the way he had been mistrusted. I would still love to hear the story behind his creation someday. But it is getting pretty late and I am sure you are all tired. We could try and prepare some dwellings for the night."

Ossan would have answered, but was stopped by a faster Shirosaki.

"Hah! Who would want to stay in this dingy little shop? You wanna know more about me, ask away, but not tonight. Oh, and did you say it would take me hours to sober myself from that drug? Heh, what took me two minutes? Make it three for all I care. But next time you try any tricks, you won't have to worry about Ossan here."

Yes, Shirosaki was back in action and ready to kick some sense back into the Getabōshi that managed to get under his skin.

* * *

 _A New Year a new chapter ^.^_

 _As usual, I'll be looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 _Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. My Muse continues to haunt me even in my sleep when I get reviews. Special thanks once again to Strawberry (Guest). You leave me speechless, full of energy and one huge motivation and will to finish chapters faster._

 _I'll continue to do my best especially with this new beginning._

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	13. Chapter 13

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Hope you're ready for Chapter XIII_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings as per usual._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :)_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

Whew, I've got Shiro back to normal xD

I must admit it was hard to project him all emotionless, kind of like Ulquiorra. You'll pay for that Urahara! xD Ok, maybe… x3

Thanks for the reviews everyone. Special thanks to Strawberry (Guest), LiceSand and travelqueen124. I'll definitely do my best with both the story and my updating speed :D

* * *

 _Chapter XIII_

Yes, Shirosaki was dying for the chance to get back at the infuriating Getabōshi that managed to get under his skin.

He did just that. Everyone was still in their own various states of shock. What greater pleasure could there be than to get Getabōshi's bucket hat and rip it to shreds? Oh, the joy of taking the fan and break it in front of his face. Yes, he felt much better. The prick. Shirosaki contently exhaled and took Urahara's tea, enjoying the cold beverage. What? He had no intentions of killing the crazy maniac just yet, he wanted information damn it. So, this was more than enough, for now. Shirosaki's smirk was back full force and addressed the still stunned shopkeeper.

"Now, it's about time you started spilling the beans Urahara-san. I've been more than patient and answered your questions. It's our turn to ask questions. Just who the hell is this Aizen guy you've been nagging about? From what you just said to Ossan here, he is more than the reason you were chased from Soul Society. I think he is the same Shinigami who is trying to make hybrids- But there is more to this right? I think you are hiding something. Taking in consideration all that has been said on this lovely evening, I'd say this Aizen dude was really working on creating mix-breeds which is likely prohibited in Soul Society. You said he is a master manipulator, but since he was and still is behind this project, he must be smart. Therefore, it stands that he must have been well aware of you being a scientist too. He probably framed his failed handy-work on you, for which you got kicked out. I said 'failed' because if he succeeded you wouldn't be sensing strange Hollows in the World of the Living anymore. By all means, tell me if I am wrong. Oh, and while on it, you may fill anything in between, like what your involvement in all this story is, besides being the sacrificial lamb, of course."

Oh yes, Shirosaki was getting back in the mood and ready for action if the two unfortunate items were good indicators. Urahara lowered his head and started probing around his sleeves. He pulled out a new hat which he placed back on his head, covering his eyes from view. He looked up to see a tick forming on Shirosaki. Needless to say, Shirosaki was not amused. It paid off to carry extra spares of everything around. With the other hand he managed to pull out another fan, to Shirosaki's dismay, and waved it around as usual, his own goofy personality returned.

"Ma, Shirosaki-san. You should really consider being a detective. You have remarkable deductions skills. In fact, it's scary how accurate your hypotheses are, it's simply phenomenal. Yes, you are correct, Aizen-san and I are connected in more than one way. And yes, I was framed and exiled because of Aizen-sans projects. At the moment, I am just trying to prevent any further disasters from happening."

"What do you mean by that? You sound like you know exactly what the guy is doing." Asked a skeptical Shirosaki.

Urahara slapped his fan shut and continued a bit more seriously.

"Correct! I am positive Aizen continued his research. Not only that, I am under the impression he is looking for a certain object of my own creation."

Shirosaki only raised an eyebrow at that. "Seriously? If he is as smart as you make him seem, he should be able to make his own version of whatever you made. Isn't that what you nutcases do? Steal each other's works and or upgrade them to make it look like a completely new product?"

Urahara barely suppressed his laughing fit. In some ways, Shirosaki was right yet again. He is definitely much more than what he seems.

"True, but that particular item is not an easy thing to make. It requires a lot of dedication and hard work. I am not keen on believing he did not make his personal version. However, I am under the impression he wants to get a hold of mine to empower his own. This is as good a reason to stay under the radar as any."

Ossan was getting worried. He was hoping the 'item' was not the one he had in mind. To remove any suspicions, he did what he does best, he asked straightforward.

"Urahara-san, seeing this situation as unsettling as it is, I would like to offer our assistance, that is from Shirosaki and myself. I will leave Soken out of the equation as it is a decision he himself will have to make. However, we cannot work as a proper group if there is mistrust and half-truths. What is this mysterious object you are speaking of? From your words, I dare say it is a dangerous and powerful artifact. Please, if you see the possibility of us working together, just tell us."

Urahara pulled out his fan again to cover his face. He had not seen this coming. Shirosaki's nod of agreement said it all. The quiet Soken had yet to utter a single word. He too nodded in agreement and verbally confirmed his desire to join.

"I always had high hopes that Quincy and Shinigami could cooperate in harmony. Tonight, I was proven that a collaboration between a Hollow and Quincy exists. Thus, I would like to assist as much as I possibly can. I do request this conversation to stay only between us present. I'm fairly sure my family would not approve due to our history."

Urahara looked at Tessai-san, just a light nod was all he received from him too. That was a relief, it meant that his third member was listening and aware. From his point of view, it was not against the set rules. She had been listening since the beginning even though no one else was aware. Still, to be honest until the end he would ask her to show herself.

"Very well. Although, in this case I would like to invite one more person. It is a very important associate of mine, who is aware of most everything. It wouldn't sit right with me to keep my affiliate out of date."

Shirosaki rolled his eyes, he should have known there was something fishy with the guy. His sarcastic comment spoke for everyone. "Sure, the more the merrier, just make it fast. I do want to get some sleep."

The sentiment was shared among all those present. Tessai stood up and opened the door. A black cat with golden eyes entered the room and set next to Urahara. It was hard to tell if anyone was surprised. Hmm, not the reaction he had expected. He tried to get a rouse by stating cheerfully.

"Everyone, this is Yoruichi Shihoin, my best friend along with Tessai-san."

Nothing. Sheesh, though crowd. He sighed disappointedly. These people had no sense of humor. Little did he know the newcomers had sensed the cat's unusual reiatsu and were aware it was no mere feline. They couldn't figure out what the creature was, but they were sure that this time looks were deceiving.

"I guess I should resume talking, eh? Well, the item I created is called the Hogyoku. It's an orb with the purpose of safely dissolving the boundaries between Shinigami and Hollow. In other words, it was supposed to permit one race to attain the powers of the other without going through Hollowfication and avoiding Soul Suicide. By far, it was the greatest mistake I have ever made."

"Undeniably, a colossal mistake." Was Ossan's retort. Everyone turned to face the stoic man. Urahara and his group were shocked the other even knew what the Hogyoku was. On the other side, Soken had absolutely no idea what the Hogyoku was, but it sounded menacing enough. He was not sure how Heika would know of such an artifact. Shirosaki glanced at Ossan with understanding in his eyes. They had encountered a few here and there. Why was it always the loony ones who found the stupid things?

"You know of the Hogyoku and yet claim you are not associated with Aizen Sousuke? It is most bizarre. Pardon my doubts, but how would you know of the Hogyoku unless you were familiar with either myself or Aizen? After all, we are the only ones who know of its existence."

Ossan shook his head in exasperation, but came out as negation.

"I expected much more from a person of your intellect, Urahara-san. When you found the gem, did you not feel any anxiety when you first touched it? Did you not have a sense of foreboding? Have you not felt an eerie sensation bordering on spooky? I am certain you did get an inkling of something being wrong when you took the stone."

A masculine deep voice abruptly spoke out of nowhere. "How do you know about the Hogyoku Kurosaki-san? Are you implying there could be more of those around besides the ones Kisuke has and Aizen might have?"

Ossan looked at the cat. Well, that was new. "Yes. For some reason everyone who discovers the gem end up calling it Hogyoku. Perhaps it is their lack of inspiration or just another property the stone possesses. Either way, yes there were a total of nine pieces scattered through the Worlds."

Urahara gave Ossan a heated glare. "How can we know it is the same object?"

Ossan returned the dirty look with a vengeance. There was such an inferno behind it that made even Urahara shiver on his spot. "Before you touched it for the first time did the gem look like a dark blue goldstone? Did it give you the mentioned vibes? If yes, then we are most certainly talking about the same item, Urahara-san."

Urahara was astonished. It took him a full minute to answer. It would have taken even longer had it not been for Yoruichi who scratched his leg. Still amazed, he could provide nothing more than a nod. Who would have known there were more gems with the property and chance of becoming that powerful?

Shirosaki cursed under his breath. The whole thing was getting out of hand. First Soren's rebirth along with the Quincy hunting other Quincy, then these guys, followed by a shady Aizen dude and now not one but two Hogyoku! Yup, it was official, they were screwed six ways into Sunday and it wasn't even Monday! He was getting a headache.

Ossan was thinking in a similar fashion, yet to be notified of Soren's return. He groaned loudly. One Hogyoku was a bothersome annoyance on itself to dispose, but two? It would be a first. Everyone was brought out of their personal musing by the talking cat.

"You said there 'were' nine? How many are left and what happened to the ones spoken in the past tense?"

Ossan took another deep breath. "Yes, there were nine. Three in each plain, meaning three in Hueco Mundo, three in Soul Society and three in the World of the Living. Shirosaki and I found a total of six. Those located were: all three pieces from Hueco Mundo, two in the World of the Living and one from Soul Society. What happened is too complicated to explain in details. Just know they were taken care off and won't be causing any more grief. That leaves us with three. Based on your information, the two from Soul Society were not only retrieved but are currently in use. Lastly is the missing one from the World of the Living. I say 'missing' due to the fact it had been discovered once. Regrettably, it was lost several centuries ago and is still to be seen again."

Shirosaki nodded in agreement. It was hard work to find those damn things, especially since they did not feel like normal reiatsu.

Urahara finally managed to pull himself out from his daze. "Kurosaki-san, I fail to see what kind of issue the orbs cause. I've had one for over a hundred years. Although, I am aware it would be troublesome if it ended in the wrong hands, I can't see why or how they could trigger large problems. Considering the Hogyoku removes the boundary between Hollows and Shinigami, shouldn't it be useless for anything else?"

Ossan's and Shirosaki's eyes briefly met. Shirosaki outright burst in a laughing fit. Seeing as Shirosaki was unable to give a proper explanation, Ossan took it upon himself to provide the group with more details.

"Urahara-san, are you certain that the orb only does what you said? Have you never felt anything else or any other changes? Besides yourself, has anyone else come in contact with your Hogyoku?"

Urahara shook his head in negative. Ossan refrained from making any further comments, but spoke up to enlighten the rest.

"In that case you would not know much about its origins. It was made in a time before any one of us was planned. Originally the nine pieces were a single item called the 'Haldister*' also known as the 'Spiritual Star Jewel'. Allegedly, the Haldister could fulfill any and all wishes of a worthy bearer or temporary owner. I have no knowledge of what the creator had in mind when he completed the artifact or how it got broken. What we do know is that once damaged, for the sake of balance, the pieces were equally distributed within the three realms. Each one has the ability to sense the hearts of those around it and materialize their deepest desires weather those wishes are on a conscious or subconscious level. Naturally there is a catch. The shards only manifest the desires of those who have the strength to carry them out and acts as a guiding force. For a twisted minded individual with high reiatsu that is more than enough and can cause a lot of trouble."

A dead silence would have befallen the room, had it been not for Shirosaki's light snickering. He was slowly calming down from his laughter. "Yeah. Ossan, remember that demented Hollow whose desire was to level Hueco Mundo to the ground but ended up creating a desert? That was hilarious. Messed-up, but funny."

Ossan could not for the love of him prevent a silent chuckle to escape his lips. True, it had been a most exhilarating experience. Hueco Mundo used to be similar to Soul Society, with buildings and the like. Thanks to the Hogyoku, its owner reduced the entirety of Hueco Mundo in a barren wasteland. The Hollow was consumed and self-destructed. Though, the face on the King of Hueco Mundo had been priceless. Barragan had been surprised and outraged once he realized he was not resting in the comfort of his room, but on a pile of sand. At a later time, he claimed the destruction had been caused by his power and by now no one even remembered a time when Hueco Mundo had not been a desert.

That had been one of the easiest fragments, since they did not have to fight and separate the item from its host. That and the one in Soul Society. They literally stumbled upon the one from Soul Society. The other two from Hueco Mundo had been irksome. Those in the Human World had been more troublesome and the worst. They had instigated destruction and wars. Not to mention, they were still searching for the last one. Seems like the remaining two from Soul Society were going to be on a whole new level.

Soken was the next to speak-up.

"In other words, these shards need to be located and forced into becoming useless. Urahara-san, I would strongly suggest for you to find a way to dispose or neutralize the item, if you have not already done so."

Urahara looked up at everyone. "True. I did feel the power of the Hogyoku should have never been awakened in the first place. Therefore, I found a way of placing it in a sleeping state and have long sealed it in a barrier. It shouldn't be easy to find and it will prove to be even harder to remove from its seal. For safety reasons and for the sake of keeping it secret, I will not discuss its resting place."

Reddish-brow eyes met dark grey in a long stare, gauging the others resolve. Shortly the contest was over, neither the winner. Ossan understood Urahara's need to refrain from speaking. Taking into consideration the brilliant mind he possessed and the urge to remain silent, he was reassured the scientists Hogyoku was indeed already a solved case. That would leave only two. One in the hands of this Aizen character and the lost one. Oh, well. They would concentrate on getting the Hogyoku belonging to the Shinigami. He could only hope the holder did not merge with the cursed thing. That tends to end up in a mess.

"Urahara-san, do you think there may be a chance this Aizen is aware of the true power of the Hogyoku? Would you consider this individual capable of attempting to merge with his orb?"

Urahara took a long moment to contemplate all scenarios. If what had been said was true, Aizen would sooner or later figure it out by himself. If that was the case there were high chances of Aizen merging with the Hogyoku.

"Aizen is a prodigy. When we were in Seireitei, his power had been far above a Fuku-taichou, perhaps exceeding that of a Taichou. And that was about a hundred years ago. By now, he should have polished his skills to the maximum. He could easily be on par with the Sōtaichō. Should he become aware of the Hogyoku's full properties, he could definitely attempt to merge with it."

Ossan slowly blinked. "I thought so. It is even more imperative we work together."

Shirosaki sighed loudly. It would get ugly. Meh, it could be worse. Everyone was quiet for some time, until Yoruichi broke the heavy silence.

"Ma, it only means we have our work cut out for ourselves. I will take my leave and see what I can dig up. I'll keep you updated Kisuke. Should you stumble on anything let me know the usual way."

With that the cat stretched and left. The rest of the group decided it was enough for a night and went their own ways. Meaning Urahara and Tessai stayed at the Shoten, while Ossan, Soken and Shirosaki left to return to the Ishida's. Only half-way to their destination did Shirosaki realize they were not going toward the inn, but elsewhere.

"Oi, Ossan! Where the hell are we going? The inn is back to the left."

Soken was astonished. He could understand the Heika did not want to let the Shinigami know about his real identity, since Shinigami were the ones to seal him. But could not fathom how he could let such disrespect pass with no consequences. Ossan looked at both his companions, trying really hard not to laugh at their expressions. Shirosaki's confused and Soken's stunned expressions were testing his own limits.

"I am surprised it took you so long to realize Shirosaki. You are normally more attentive. Don't tell me you are still under a mild influence of the concoction you drank?"

Shirosaki scoffed and ignored the irrelevant question, gaze firm on Ossan, demanding a real answer. One Ossan knew he would not be avoiding.

"For your information, we are going toward the Ishida's. I did not use Schatten* as Soken-san had not been very comfortable. Also, we moved Masaki from the inn to their place as a precaution."

Shirosaki was not amused at all. "Wait a moment, you want to tell me you are taking me to a house full of hunters? Are you out of your mind! This guy here even said it himself back at the store. If his family finds out he is all friendly with a Hollow and Shinigami, he would be in trouble. Che, if you want you go on ahead. I'll go back to the inn and sleep whatever few hours we have left. I'll see you later today. We've got a whole lot of things to talk about."

The last sentence was heightened by a pointed look. Ossan nodded in agreement. That was the only sign Shirosaki needed to Shunpo away from the two Quincy.

Still horrified at the casual way the Hollow spoke with the Heika, Soken looked at the Quincy King. "Heika, will you do nothing at all in regards to Shirosaki's mannerism? Does the reference as an 'elderly person' not unsettle you?"

This time Ossan could not hide the smile from his face. Thankfully the dark of the night did the job for him. Soken had tried so hard to moderate the meaning of Ossan into a more professional way.

"No, not at all. There was another person before Shirosaki who 'bestowed' me with the nickname of 'Ossan'. Shirosaki merely borrowed that expression and has kept it ever since."

The new data was even more of a surprise. "Heika, may I be insolent enough to inquire as to who was brave enough to name you in such a disrespectful way? An even more intriguing question would be how did the scoundrel live long enough to tell the tale and even make it as a habit for themselves and now for Shirosaki-san?"

At that Ossan did lightly chuckle and continued to walk in the direction of Soken's home.

"A simple question, with an even easier answer."

He paused momentarily for an amplified effect. A fond smile stretched on Ossan's face, visible and unrestrained.

"It was my grandson."

* * *

 _^.^_

 _As usual, I'll be looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3_

 ** _*Haldister_** _= combination of two names; 'Haldisa' a German and Teutonic female name meaning 'Spirit of Stone' and the German 'Stern' meaning Star. Combining the two I wanted to get 'Spiritual Star Jewel'. How is it? It sounds unusual and uncommon, so I went with the flow._

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)_


	14. Chapter 14

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Here comes Chapter XIV_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings as per usual._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

Everyone I'm sorry! I feel this is the longest chapter to be posted yet. Who knew having an energy draining vampire in the house could freeze hands over and over again? I sure didn't (

Had to use and abuse each and every blissful second the monster was away. As a form of redemption, I went ahead and made an extra-large chapter :)

I'll do my best to get another one out soon. Hope I'll be forgiven.

* * *

 _Chapter XIV_

Meanwhile in an unknown cold and obscure place.

A lone figure about 6'2'' was nervously pacing in a small room lit by torches and decorated with filigree. The chamber features a small throne on a platform. The throne at the moment empty as though waiting for the rightful heir. In front of the throne was a large closed window draped by thick white curtains. Behind the throne, stood the pacing figure and a few steps back was a black teak wood double door.

The person moving back and forth was an unusual one. You could not tell who the individual was due to its concealing attire. The being was clad in a long satin cloak with long sleeves and a hood. It was form fitting at the sole exception of the sleeves. Towards the hands the sleeves were wider. The mantle was a three-color one-piece item changing shades down-up. The bottom part up to its knees was a dark cobalt blue turning aqua from the knees to about mid-chest, from there it became white. The sleeves were formed in a similar way, while the hood was white.

The entire cloak had cracked details of a midnight blue giving the mantle an eerie impression. The two zippers could seal the whole cloth if desired as the white gold fastener stretched from bellow the neck down to the bottom. Though, it seems our individual has the top part open to the collarbone, while the lower zipper is raised up to the waist allowing for free and unrestrained movement.

Since the zippers were open in such manner, the clothes underneath became visible. The unknown one wears a pale turquoise tight silk shirt, black velvet skinny trousers and black mid-calf tidal style pointed toe leather boots. On its hands were white winter leather gloves.

The face was covered by a midnight blue mask with crackled paint details and cobalt blue embossed swirls surrounded by aqua splashes at their edges. Around the eyes the color shifts from its midnight blue tint into navy blue. There are no lips, only a minor bulge where the nose stands. The white gold ribbon trim around the rims finalizes the mask giving a regal and refined effect.

A loud knock on the double doors made the figure stop in its strides.

The being spoke in a distinctively masculine muffed voice "Come in."

The door opened to reveal a gentleman with light brown swept back hair and a full mustache of the same shade. He has thin eyebrows, shallow cheeks frozen in a stoic emotionless expression and thin-framed glasses in front of his dark brown eyes. His attire is completely white. A double-breasted calf-length trench coat with six silver plated buttons. Each button carved with the Quincy Zeichen. The coat is tied at the waist by a white belt adorned with a decorative buckle. Beneath, he wears a white high-collar shirt and blue tie, as well as white trousers and shoes.

The newcomer lightly bowed and spoke in a calm, deep and refined tone. "Soren-sama, I bring you the reports on the latest missions."

The previously pacing man motioned with his hand for the other to continue. "What is the status Robert?"

The now, dubbed Robert continued with his relaxed tone. "The recruiting unit sent to the Human World has returned with no new additions. It seems many families are reluctant to using new methods. All have expressed the desire to release the seal on his Majesty, but refused to leave the World of the Living for the **Wandenreich** *. Some even dared to insinuate that a cooperation between us and the Shinigami should be established. Needless to say, regrettably, there were disagreements and those who opposed the units were disposed of accordingly."

The still cloaked Soren only nodded in agreement. "A shame that we have to use such harsh measures. However, it is inevitable. Should the Shinigami figure something out, the entire operation may fall. What about the Kurosaki manor and the reincarnation of Kurosaki Masaki? I hope she was safely retrieved."

The stoic Robert was not so calm anymore. He was being to feel a cold sweat encompass his entire body. This was the report he had wanted to leave for last. He took a silent deep breath and informed the other of the results.

"Sir, the five men brigade has returned with negative results. From the received data, they arrived at the Kurosaki manor and were immediately confronted by the Head of the Family along with a number of Gemischt. We can only presume our inner informant had been discovered. Since the Kurosaki's were reluctant to hand over Lady Masaki, a fight commenced. The whole household was brought to the ground."

Soren's figure revealed nothing, but the tone in his stifled voice spoke of upset and trepidation. "What of the girl? They were to bring her alive and unscratched."

Robert started to lightly tremble, but kept using a tranquil tone. "The leader claims no traces of Lady Masaki's reiatsu could be felt anywhere near the manor. They went as far as to search every nook and cranny as well as destroying the mansion in an attempt to force out anyone hiding. By the end of the research, Lady Masaki was not located. I am afraid, there is nothing left of the manor."

Although any emotions were hidden by the clothing and mask, Soren's upset mood could be felt through the entire palace. "Fools! The lot of them! How could they destroy the mansion if the target was not acquired? They may have even accidentally hurt her or worse!"

He started to pace again, processing the new intel. This was so not going according to his plans. He needed Masaki. No! He wanted Masaki back by his side. The fact that she was also the last known person to have the orb was just an added bonus. He had to calm down. There must be something he could still do. A sudden idea hit him.

"Robert, you said they had not been able to sense her presence at all, am I right? There is a chance she may have been taken away from the manor prior to our arrival. Especially if our spy was found out. I want you to send as many platoons as necessary. They are to explore each and every single property belonging to the Kurosaki family. Make sure they understand they must find her and bring her here **unharmed**. Failure to adhere to this order will not be tolerated."

Robert bowed in respect yet again. "As you wish Soren-sama. I will see everyone available is sent immediately. Should I appoint Master Haschwalth as the head of the operation?"

Soren abruptly stiffened. "No. I would prefer for him to stay. He is the only one capable of protecting the fortress and the Wandenreich. I will leave the decision in your capable hands. Oh, one more thing Robert. I want you to go back to the Kurosaki manor and double check the accuracy of the statement. Triple check if you must, just make sure to report any leads or news right away."

"Yes, Soren-sama." He bowed once more and left Soren-sama to his thoughts.

Soren was outraged and started to pace all over again. He should have thought better than send those idiots. How in the world had Juhabach managed to utilize the Quincy as an organized army? It must have been a miracle. He approached the throne. Just before he could place his hand on it, he was met with a dark reiatsu barrier. Heh, figures the throne would reject him, since he was not the rightful king.

But that would change. He would get his Masaki back and use her and the orb to reign over everything. Hueco Mundo, Soul Society and the World of the Living will all be under his rule just as it was meant to be. To think he was stopped by that _brat_! Heh, he did make sure the kid would never get to be reborn again. He certainly did go boom. He was gone, forever. Ah, among all the memories he regained, that one was his favorite. The look on the freaks' face was even better.

Yes, he would rule it all and this time no one would stop him. He had his doubts about these Quincies. Some were difficult to deal with, while others were immature. Most of all, he had no intentions of letting Haschwalth out of his sight. Should the guy catch wind of his plans or his past, he may have some difficulties. He had been truly lucky. The 'Heika' got sealed away just a few days before his real intentions were discovered. Pretending to be interested in unsealing their Majesty had been the greatest idea he had ever had. Like this, he was able to keep an eye on their progress regarding the Heika and could easily pretend to lead them toward a mutual goal.

He had told the brainless simpletons that Masaki would be the key to finding the emperor. Hah! They had fallen for it. Unfortunately, it had not been easy to locate or even capture the girl. Her reincarnations were always random and hard to detect. The last one in 1927 did not even live for long and yet she was reborn again in 1968. Now a fourteen years old girl was evading them.

Che. He was fortunate enough to retain some of his Hollow side. In his previous life, his mother had been infected by a weird mask-less Hollow. Had the beast not had a hole in its chest, it could have passed for a Shinigami. He inherited the monster inside and subdued it. When Masaki was pregnant most of his powers disappeared. Apparently, they were taken by the child within her. He was left but with the residue and capability of contaminating others.

That one skill became very useful. Those who he tainted had no idea they had a sleeping Hollow within. Thanks to the injected Hollow, he was able to feel and see everything the victim could. It was a neat trick. There was only one downside. He could only successfully taint Shinigami. The first time he tried it on a Quincy, the poor sap died in a rather painful way. He was able to blame the death on a random Hollow, but it had been a vital data.

Prior to joining these Quincy in Wandenreich, he made sure to contaminate a large amount of Shinigami. Mostly new recruits. He had chosen newbies, because he was sure some if not the majority would visit the Living World. By doing this, he had additional sets of eyes in the outer world. In case one of the infected Shinigami passed by or noticed Masaki, he would be able to tell right away. Allowing for an easier discovery and capture. The best part is the fact that now he had perfect spies who were not even aware of working for him.

Yes, he would get Masaki and by default the orb. With the orb he would be able to ascend even further and become the sole sovereign of all worlds. His mask hid the large smile which stretched on his face. He could not wait to fulfill his destiny.

* * *

Robert Accutrone silently closed the heavy double door behind him and visibly relaxed. He had expected the meeting to have gone worse. He had not even managed to inform Soren-sama of the Ishida desertion. All considered, he would leave it for another time.

He was met by a tall young man with a thin build and long blonde hair descending past his shoulders to nearly his waist. The man's arctic blue eyes further heightened by blonde eyelashes. His eyes showed wisdom far greater than the appearance he held. He was wearing a black tight long sleeve silk dress shirt, white gloves, white fitting trousers fastened by a black belt and black dress shoes. The outfit was complimenting the casual manner in which he walked. Undisturbed, unperturbed. The complete opposite to the inner turmoil, which was known to none but the young man alone.

Recognizing the young man for whom he is, Robert bowed out of reflex and greeted. "Good day Master Haschwalth."

He received a nod of acknowledgement along with kind words. "Good day to you too Robert. What news do you bring from Soren-sama?"

Dark brown met arctic blue, soon overpowered by the intensity in those cold eyes. Robert knew he stood no chance against the Grandmaster.

"Soren-sama has requested all available units to search all properties belonging to the Kurosaki household. Lady Masaki must be found and brought here unharmed and in good health by any means necessary. I am to go through the remains of the previous assignment in hopes of finding any leads as to the young Ladies whereabouts."

Another nod was the only sign he had been heard. "Should I join the platoons?" was the blank inquiry.

Robert had expected the question and answered honestly. "Soren-sama has requested for you to stay behind and protect the Wandenreich."

A lone sigh escaped the young one. "Understood. Would you wish for me to inform and organize the search? You could proceed to your task immediately. Do you have in mind anyone in particular who could lead the party?"

Roberts' relief was evident on his face. "It would be highly appreciated Master Haschwalth. And no. I was given the choice, but I am sure you will do an even better job at selecting the right person for the task."

Yet another nod was his only clue of being heard, before the young man turned his back and left through one of the many hallways. Once out of sight, Robert exhaled loudly and moved to a different section. He had a destroyed mansion to inspect.

He could only imagine how the other felt. He had not been outside the Wandenreich since he came here all those centuries ago. Among all the Quincies, he is by far, the most respected. Everyone knew, in the past, he had been selected as the adviser to his Majesty as well as the second in command. Even though those were titles earned a long time ago, they were and are still held in high regards and acknowledgement. No one was able to surpass his intelligence and skills.

Robert himself was one of the few survivors from the first period. Back then they lived in the World of the Living in the Royal Castle. The castle a square structure with the ground floor and three flats. Each of the four outer corners was enclosed by a round tower where guards and soldiers lived. The towers themselves were situated in one of the four sides of the world.

Therefore, there was the North, East, South and West Tower. Situated at the top floor of the towers was a single door made from the Emperors reiatsu. These doors were portals leading to the four segments of the kingdom ruled by his Majesty. Should the Heika give the order, the soldiers were mobilized and within seconds could reach their destination.

The North tower, also known as the Polar Tower, was in charge of the colder portions of the kingdom. The East or Blossom tower took care of the part of the kingdom reigned by eternal spring. Most of the flower beds from which the kingdom prospered were located in that area. The South or Summer tower overlooked the orchards and its surrounding villages. The West tower commonly referred to as the Tower of Knowledge took you to the capital city of the kingdom where you could gather all the culture, education, justice and politics pertaining to the realm.

The center of the castle was open with a grand inner garden and the Main Tower of three floors, where the Heika himself along with the Grandmaster lived. Even from afar, the Main Tower radiated power and security as the highest structure of the palace. At the top of the perfect square four-sided roof levitated the Quincy Zeichen, the symbol of their proud race.

The Main Tower was truly a representation of strength and wisdom. He along with many of the servants where surprised by its' length. Although it had three floors, the tower was quite taller than the rest of the palace, which greatly confused the servants. The ground floor was an open space leading to the upper levels. The first floor belonged to Master Haschwalth, the second to his Majesty and the third was an open space surrounded by thick glass and a throne from where the Heika could overlook the rest of the castle as well as what occurred in the realm. Nothing escaped his sight.

That was a time of relative peace. A few occasional Hollow attacks would happen. Back then, Heika would dispatch the soldiers to force the Hollows out of their kingdom, leaving the tedious job of eradicating them to the Shinigami. Naturally, this system could not function properly due to the low number of Shinigami. Therefore, his Majesty saw to it that all units were trained even more and soon they were forced to take care of Hollows themselves.

It was surprising that Shinigami found the balance of the Worlds to be at risk only after they managed to keep everyone safe. Ungrateful lot.

He was appointed as the head butler and in charge of the castle. A most challenging duty. What with the strongholds, the residence and the emperors' tower all composed of three floors, the three gardens and lake. He sure had his hands full at all times. The ground floor of the central building was divided into the front and back entrance.

The front had always been the easiest to manage since there were majestic staircases leading to the upper levels of the castle. At each level a regal tapestry decorated the walls, each showcasing a different region of the kingdom. On the ground floor moving toward the first, the tapestry showed the vast flower plains and myriads of orchards from the two regions. The one in between the first and second floor, displayed the villages with their orchards and the capital city in perfect balance. Knowledge and work. The third one represented the capital city along with the cold regions. It seemed like the spirit of the capital city was warming the normally freezing province. Lastly at the top of the third floor, the Polar and Spring kingdoms were united. The tapestry represented the cycle of life, nature and seasons as well as the protection granted by his Majesty.

No region was at any given moment abandoned or forgotten. When the cold was too much to bear, his Majesty took it upon himself to offer warmth by raising a barrier around the area. When the harsh weather destroyed the corps and flowers in the spring region, he overlooked the process of re-growing and would lessen taxes until the county could stand on its own again. Should there be prolonged periods with no rain in the south, snow turned water would be brought from the cold mountain peaks. All provinces had their representatives who would bring reports to the Capital. From there a solution was made and performed with the Heika's directions. High positioned officials were exchanged by vote every month, while lesser administration was changed every three months. Those selected could not return to their former power positions for at least two years.

Back to the castle. At the front, there was a table on each floor with a host and two assistants who could tend to guests. They were to cater to the visitors needs and guide them to the appropriate room. The back door on the ground floor considered of the kitchen, laundry and staff quarters. From there servants had sliding doors leading to the rest of the palace. Same went for the guard and soldiers who could move with ease on the sides. The doors were practically invisible as they became part of the moving furniture or walls. The first floor was reserved and used for studies, meetings, gatherings and dinners. The second floor was dedicated to training. You could say it was a wholesome gym. The third and top floor was the residence floor. This was the place where the family members lived. At first it was empty space, but became eventually very populated and lively.

Originally his Majesty and Lady **Serena** * had difficulties in birthing heirs, until one June 9, when two beautiful baby girls were born. The back-haired and more serious Katagiri-sama and the cheerful and free-spirited brown-haired Masaki-sama. It was both a happy and sad day. One life was lost for the benefit of the two young souls. Lady Serena did not survive past giving names to her daughters. His Majesty had not been the same ever since. He did make sure the girls were raised with carrying and love. But his smile was forever gone.

Katagiri-sama was the first to marry the Ishida heir. Though first to marry she was second to bring to life a baby girl, **Akemi** -san*. A bright little lady indeed, with blonde hair and full of compassion. At a much later time, a male heir to the Ishida household was born, with the name **Tatsuya** *. Even though Katagiri-sama took the Ishida family name, Akemi-san inherited the Kurosaki last name, while Tatsuya-san got the Ishida name. It had been Katagiri-sama's decision as she had wanted to reassure her father his lineage was not lost. That one decision was soon embraced by all family members and became an unspoken law that should there be a last heir to one family's name the first born would inherit the surname of the diminishing family, while other children would be bestowed with either name.

Masaki-sama, on the other hand, had chosen a Shinigami. It had been a most peculiar situation. His Majesty, after many disputes, did accept Soren-sama. Together the two had the first male heir, Ichigo-sama. Born a year before Akemi-san, he was a Gemischt of races, something unheard of until then. With hair the color of the rising sun, he radiated a positive aura that could be felt by all around him. He had been blessed with the powers of the King. He was able to share his reiatsu and powers with those who were worthy. But the most mysterious ability was the child's unusual fast learning streak as well as his positive influence over others. The small ball of sunshine had been able to even restore the smile on the face of his grandfather. Yes, there had been no doubts in any of the staffs' minds, Heika had regained the capability to laugh thanks to Ichigo-sama.

Robert Accutrone had been so lost in the past that he had neglected to notice he had already reached his destination. Having been guided to the destroyed mansion thanks to his learnt shadow skill, his first impression was a feeling of shame at the sight before him.

 _'Such a shame the unit destroyed the mansion. It must have been yet another masterpiece. Heika always had an eye for simple yet regal architecture.'_

He put those thoughts aside and concentrated on the task at hand. At first nothing caught his attention. Besides the meager reiatsu residues from the platoon, nothing felt out of place. He could tell exactly how the fight went, not by the left overs, but by the desolation in front of his eyes. The five had started at the side entrance to the left, intent on a quick operation, where they were met by the opposition. Once the family refused to hand over Masaki-sama, the group assaulted and eliminated the front lines. The more experienced Quincy continued their attack from the left, while the two newbies were sent to gather intel to the right. It must have been a huge mess, not that what was in front of his eyes was any less chaotic.

He moved through the ashes and remains. There was no trace of Masaki-sama. Once he finished searching through the rubble, he decided to take a walk around the premises. That was when he realized the barrier was gone.

 _'Impossible. The report clearly stated they had never come in contact with the barrier, so, how is it gone?'_

He approached the area where the barrier proudly stood before. He tried to feel for anything. He became agitated when he realized he could not understand how it was removed. Which lead him to believe it must have been either another Quincy from the outside. A very skilled Quincy. The alternate option was that it was removed from within by a family member.

That would be a more accurate probability. However, as per the unit, the barrier had been there when they left.

 _'Could it have been Masaki-sama herself? But if so, where could she have been during the invasion? The brigade must have been capable of sensing her if she was hiding within the mansion.'_

Still baffled, he decided to look even further. He soon came to an opening in the ground of sorts. Something felt wrong. There were minor residues of Hollow reiatsu. But more notably, Masaki-sama's reiatsu. It felt as though she had passed through here not too long ago, perhaps a day or so ago. The platoon did join forces with other regiments and came a day behind schedule. But at least this was proof that Masaki-sama was well. The Hollow remnant must have been caused due to a curious Hollow searching for food or something alike. There were no signs that a battle occurred and the reiatsu did disappear without any more traces. He would simply skip the Hollow and concentrate on Masaki-sama's reiatsu.

Jut as he thought, the leftovers brought him to the barrier only to dissipate completely. He presumed Masaki-sama lowered the barrier and exhausted herself. She must have gone on foot from that point onward.

Certain of his deductions, he pulled a small device from his pocket. He had to contact Soren-sama and Master Haschwalth to request for additional men-power. They could start the search for the young Lady from this point. She couldn't have gone too far.

* * *

At the heart of the Wandenreich, Haschwalth had already organized the units and sent them to the World of the Living. He had assigned Bazz-B as the leader of the groups. He knew Bazz, was a hot-headed individual, but he could always count on the other to restrain himself in lieu of their long friendship.

He glanced in the direction of the throne room and closed his eyes. Just how long would he have to keep this farce? Ever since he had first met Soren, he had disliked the man with such fierce passion. When Masaki-sama married the guy, his dislike grew to hate. He had no idea as to why. The other had never done anything wrong, but Haschwalth had always felt the need to keep an eye out for Soren. When the little **Denka** * was born, he hoped his uneasiness around Soren would diminish, instead it intensified tenfold.

He exhaled. He was looking forward to the Heika's return. The circumstances of the Hollow's admittance into the household under the human guise, the Denka's disappearance and his Majesty's sealing were all shrouded in mystery, along with Soren's death. He was sure all events had been connected one way or the other. Although, he had never found out how.

He exhaled yet again. Heika had been kindhearted. The war with the Shinigami had been a surprise. Yes, they were attacked first, but the Emperor had always tried to negotiate with them and always tried to find a peaceful solution. Why the change of heart when the Denka went missing? It will forever remain an unsolved puzzle.

The vibration of his communication device brought him out of his mussing. He had not expected any notification until much later. He was even more surprised to find out the speaker to be Robert.

"Master Haschwalth, this is Robert reporting. I have discovered Masaki-sama's reiatsu. It would appear there had been an underground passage within the manor. I followed the lead and was brought to the barrier surrounding the mansion. The barrier is gone along with Masaki-sama's residual reiatsu. I believe she must have exhausted herself in removing the obstacle and moved forward on foot. I would like to request a unit to be sent my way to start our search around the nearby area."

Haschwalth was more then pleased. Leave it to Robert to figure something out of nothing. "Very well, I will instruct the groups accordingly. And Robert, there will be no need to inform Soren-sama. I will personally give him the news."

The unsuspecting man never could have guessed that had been a lie. "Thank you very much Master Haschwalth."

Haschwalth did proceed to inform the rest of the men in the Human World of the change of plans. But refrained from informing Soren. He was hoping to find Masaki-sama on his own. If she was truly the key to unsealing his Majesty, he would find a way of doing so without Soren's knowledge. He had a feeling that Soren was not trying to release the Heika because of the goodness of his hearth. There must be a different motive behind the action and he would do his best to remove the veil concealing the masked man.

* * *

 _Hahaha who saw that one coming? I made Masaki and Katagiri sisters ^.^_

 _For the record, Serena, Katagiri and Masaki became popular names among Quincies in general, at least in my story. So, the two girls are not sisters at current times. Katagiri is also not a reincarnation of the previous one. Just a lucky girl to have a nice name :D_

 _I think I managed to 'reveal' a little bit more about the background story. Hope you like it :3_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, by now I'm getting the feeling you don't hate and for that thanks :3_

 ***Wandenreich*** for all those who are not up to date with the manga = Japanese for 'Invisible Empire'.

 ***Serena*** = a late Latin name meaning _'clear, tranquil, serene'_

 ***Akemi*** = Japanese name meaning _'bright, bright sea, vermilion bright'_ and some more variations of _bright_ depending on how you write it and which Kanji you use.

 ***Tatsuya*** = another Japanese name meaning _'sign of the dragon'_. So cool! I wanted to have a dragon without the classical 'Ryu'. I think I've nailed this one x3

 ***Denka*** = just like Heika is the Emperor or 'Your Majesty', Denka is used as honorific for a prince or princess. It's used for non-sovereign royalty, similar to 'Highness'. It can also be used by itself as a way of saying 'Your Highness'. Personally, I think it's cute :3

 ** _Quick recap_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead and an even brighter tomorrow, whenever that time comes :D_


	15. Chapter 15

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Here comes Chapter XV_

 _Usual disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

I hope everyone is having a great beginning of the year. I sure can't get any sleep with my Muse and plot attacks. Not that I mind, I love the dreams they produce :3

Thanks for all the lovely past, present and future reviews. You fill me with eagerness to continue posting and writing.

My _Muse_ , hereby, wants to thank pretty much everyone: all readers, newcomers and those special people who push me that bit further every single time they leave a review as they encourage me to do my best and type my keyboard away :)

I know, you know who you are xD

* * *

 _Chapter XV_

"A simple question, with an even easier answer."

He paused momentarily for an amplified effect. A fond smile stretched on Ossan's face, visible and unrestrained.

"It was my grandson."

Soken's mind was about to explode. Not only was his Majesty smiling, but he just said his grandson called him Ossan? How did Heika even have a grandson if Masaki-san was introduced as the last remaining member of the Kurosaki household? Thinking about it, Masaki-san was not introduced as Heika's daughter only as the last relative. Did his Majesty recently loose his family and grandson? No, it did not sound right. Based on the previous conversations, Heika and Shirosaki-san have been together for a long time. Could it be? Was his Majesty referring to the beginnings? To his first family? He would have to go through the old tomes, if he wanted these questions answered. He had already insulted Heika's grandson by his comment of scoundrel. He would not risk any possible repercussions his words or questions may bring upon his family.

The poor man was unaware he had already been forgiven. Ichigo had always been able to pull a smile out of Ossan. He had been respectful when needed, adhering to the formal standards and rules of the family. However, in private it was a different story. The little energetic child who always addressed him respectfully or with 'Grandpapa' turned into a teenager and a strong young man. The title of 'Grandpapa' was gone and exchanged with 'gramps', only to be swapped with 'Ossan' just prior his departure. At first, he abhorred the casual mannerism Ichigo used and often reprimanded the young one. Though, he was never able to stay anger at the spirited soul for long. After some time, he realized Ichigo never meant to disrespect him when calling him 'Ossan'. Ichigo used the name 'Ossan' in a showcase of affection and fondness. It was meant to replace the childlike 'Grandpapa'. Needless to say, afterwards he never felt the need to scold his grandson.

Ossan sensed the upset in Soken's reiatsu. Having been engulfed in his memories, he failed to realize the level of distress the man emitted. Stupefied by such behavior, he could not stay quiet and inquired.

"What seems to be the problem Soken-san? Is something wrong? Your reiatsu is all over the place."

Pulled out from his ocean of worries, Soken did respond.

"Heika, my deepest apologies, I did not mean to offend You or Your family with my words. I can assure You it will not happen again. I should have known You would have not permitted just anyone to address You casually. I failed to realize that prior to my sentence."

Ossan looked forward, intent on making sure his companion did not see the roll of his eyes. He proceeded to reassure the man nothing was wrong.

"You have nothing to worry about Soken-san. I am not upset. What you thought was understandable. For someone who had not met my grandson, it was a most logical conclusion. Therefore, please relax. We are not within your household or mine. At the moment we are just two persons walking the streets, heading in the same direction. Besides, centuries of history should have enlightened you that I have never been known for getting troubled easily. Am I correct in assuming, I was believed to be a lenient person most of the time, unless provoked?"

Soken was speechless. He really needed to check the old books. They were gathering dust instead of being used. He would make sure to go through them in detail.

"My apologies Heika. It has been a rather long time since anyone thought about time passed."

Ossan turned and looked deeply into the others eyes.

"As mentioned, think nothing of it. As long as we are out of sight of the more uptight members, we can have a regular conversation. After all, considering you have volunteered to help with the situation at hand, we will have ample time for you to feel more comfortable around me. Not to mention, I am positive Shirosaki's presence will greatly contribute."

Soken was astonished and barely managed to nod his head in agreement. He understood well. It was the same case with his son and butler. When away from bat ears and peeking noses, he insisted on a more casual atmosphere.

The rest of the journey was spent in serene silence. Once they reached the house, they were immediately greeted at the gates by the ever-alert Cord. He assured Miss Masaki did not ruse from her slumber and offered once again the spare room to the high esteemed guest.

"I do appreciate your offer. However, to prevent a shock for Masaki-san as well as for the staff at the inn we are currently staying at. I believe it would be more adequate for me to take her back. On that note, Soken-san, were you seen by the employees when you visited us?"

Soken shook his head in negative. He was a prudent man, favoring stealth when in uncertain or unknown locations.

"Perfect. Please do take me to Masaki-san, we will be on our way. Soken-san, I would like to continue our pleasant conversation at more appropriate hours today. That is, if you would be available, of course."

Soken read the meaning behind those words and fully agreed. He had no previously arranged obligations the whole day tomorrow, or rather today. The following day he did have several duties and meetings which would require his presence.

"I will be honored to resume our discussion in a few hours. Any particular hour I should present myself? I would not want to be a nuisance considering the current hour."

Expecting nothing less, Ossan added. "None at all. I am the one inviting you. Therefore, any time which suits you the most will be greatly appreciated."

Soken understood and agreed to visit once fully awaken. They soon arrived at the room occupied by the resting girl. Ossan gently took her in his hands, gave his regards to Soken and his butler and vanished within the shadows. Soken would never forget the sensation of being within that power. He had been surprised the little one seemed completely at ease. She had not stirred at all. He proceeded to his chambers and wished a pleasant remainder of the night to the faithful Cord.

* * *

Having arrived at the inn, Shirosaki was greeted by the Night Receptionist. Knowing it was late, he made sure to leave a few grunts and comments for the gossiping workers.

"Ah man, meetings between lawyers take forever. At least the case is mostly complete. If we continue at this pace, we will be able to gather the remaining evidence before the set date at court."

Looking at the young man behind the desk he spoke in a casual tone. "Oh, good evening. Am I right to presume my father and sister have returned from their outing? I must have lost track of time working again. Are any of the chefs still working at this hour? I would highly appreciate anything light to snack on before resting."

The man at the desk has short black hair, bright blue eyes and pale skin. Dressed in a navy-blue kimono, bowed and confirmed the availability of the chef as well as the list of accessible plates. Among the variety of dishes, Shirosaki opted for a large plate of sesame seared tuna accompanied by various sauces and proceeded to his room.

Once in the comfort of the stateroom, he could not but feel the absence of the little girl. He would admit the little one managed to sneak past most of his defenses. He had to be careful, else he might become too attached and would try to make it difficult to leave her behind should she decide to stay with her relatives.

He was startled by a light tapping noise. Having his senses on high alert, he did not miss to notice the reiatsu from outside the window. He had merely ignored it, until now. The sound was not loud, but it did grate on his nerves. He exhaled loudly and approached the window from where the noise came from. There outside stood a black cat. Sheesh, he just met the thing a little while ago and it was already trying to upset him.

He opened the window and let the feline in.

"So, what do you want? Here to check where I sleep or just wanted to keep an eye out for the big, bad Hollow? Meh, whatever. I'm about to get some tuna through room service. Wanna have a piece or something? If yes, you should hide in the bathroom. I don't think these guys approve of pets in the inn."

He was met by a hard glare, soon turned into a happy expression as much as you could guess from a cat. Yoruichi would never say no to tuna, so she followed the Hollow who directed the cat to the restroom. He was right on time too, as the moment he closed the bathroom's door a light knock alerted him of his arrived order. These guys were fast workers.

He went into his assigned room and opened the door to the hallway. He did not want to let them know he was alone. That would result in a terrible affair. The server had no qualms and presumed the polite sir was just taking care of his family. Such an honorable young man, making sure his relatives were not awakened even though he had worked such late hours. The night shift was considered the graveyard shift. Anything and everything was used as a way of breaking the monotonous boredom. Thus, all workers had already heard about the pale guest's return and the story he had given at the Reception desk. Therefore, he quietly served the plate and left the room trying to make as less noise as possible.

Shirosaki closed the door behind the staff He shook his head a few times before returning to the main room and opening the restroom door for the cat. He took the tuna dish, a small saucer and placed a few pieces of tuna on it. Having it offered to the cat, he proceeded to devour his share. He was absolutely famished.

The cat continued to stare the man down. The Hollow was even able to eat regular food. Kisuke will be jumping in joy at the notion of such discovery. The cat did take the offered saucer and delightedly wolfed down the juicy meal.

Deciding to tease the Hollow, it spoke and asked if it would be alright to talk about a few things. Shirosaki had no issue with that, he had resigned himself to another chat the moment he noticed the feline. So, he just said. "Sure, why not?"

The cat moved a few paces from Shirosaki and was soon covered by smoke. Shirosaki had been surprised at the smoke and prepared for a possible attack. What he had not been expecting was to see a dark skinned naked woman instead of the cat. The woman is slender and well-endowed of average height. Probably around 5' or 5'1''. Her hair is waist-length and purple with chin-length bangs framing the sides of her face. Her golden eyes retained some of the feline semblances.

 _'The heck! Why is there a woman? A naked woman at that!?'_

He could see a large smile on the woman's face. She was probably expecting a reaction of some sort. Heh, like hell he would give her the satisfaction. He closed his eyes, puffed out and grunted something under his breath about demon cats and exhibitionists. Then went back to his room where he rummaged through his luggage and pulled out a long, short-sleeved satin robe. The robe was double sided with the currently top part being a dark ruby color, while the interior was raven black with gold embroidery. He took the clothing item to the still naked woman and threw it at her face. She was not hit because she caught the robe in the air. She looked back and forth between the cloth and the Hollow with a confused expression.

Shirosaki had no patience left for childish games. "Well? What are you waiting for? An invitation? Put the thing on. I don't want to spend the rest of the night with a shameless woman prancing around in her birth suit."

Yoruichi was disheartened. She had hoped to squeeze some fun out of the Hollow. Embarrassment was one of the sensations she was expecting. At the minimum surprise. Instead the guy had been calm and collected. She had not expected the robe either. _'This guy is full of surprises. No wonder Kisuke seems so intrigued.'_

Once she put the robe on she was even further amazed by the Hollow.

"Want some more tuna? You seemed to enjoy it before. Or is it just a cat thing?" He said with a large smirk on his face. She had been so stunned by the others behavior that she did not even register the offered plate.

Shirosaki knew he won this round and sat at the chair by the dresser, enjoying the last bites of tuna. _'Hehe. Had she done a stunt like this a few centuries ago, she might have got what she wanted. Now that I think about it, even then, she would have had a few laughs from Ichigo rather than from me. He was the prudish one, not me.'_

"What is it kitty? Surprise, surprise. Unable to accept defeat? What? Did you really expect me to jump up in the air and squeak like a little girl or something like that? Hah! Better luck another time. Now, if you don't mind, care to enlighten me as to what you wanted to talk about?"

She was finally brought out of her amazement. She would not accept anything but victory, thus, would try to poke a few of the Hollows buttons. She returned the smile in kind.

"Aw, such a shame. I'm not even used to wearing clothes anymore. What is it? Afraid of a little skin show? Are you sure you don't want to take another peek? Who knows when you'll get a chance to look at a body like this again."

Shirosaki snorted and rolled his eyes. "Woman, sorry to burst your bubble, but I am not interested. If you don't have anything useful to say, you can leave. It was a long day and I would love to get at least a nap."

They stared each other down for a long time, neither ready to back down. Shirosaki's triumphant smile was nearly matched by Yoruichi's leer. The contest would have lasted the rest of the night, if not for the appearance of Ossan and the sleeping girl in his hands. Talk about good timing. Ossan lifted an eyebrow and looked at the two, trying to figure out what was going on. Seeing he would get no response from either person, he shook his head and placed Masaki back in bed. Once he was sure she was comfortable, he turned to give his charge and the unknown person his coldest and hardest glare. Needless to say, both lost interest in their game, frozen in place by the threatening look.

Satisfied with the result he monitored for the two to follow him to his assigned room. Shirosaki was the first to stand up, but allowed Yoruichi to enter first. Closing the door behind the troublemakers, Ossan sighed. These days were simply not long enough. Either that, or someone was shortening their lengths. He turned and watched the woman. He could tell immediately who she was by her reiatsu. Though it was well concealed, he was sure it was the cat from the store. Both the cat and the person in front of him emanated the same aura of curiosity and mischief.

"Good evening Shihoin-san. May I inquire as to what kind of business you have with my partner at this hour? I was under the impression we had settled everything back at the Shoten for this night."

The woman did not show any sign of being surprised by the others knowledge of her identity. Although, within she was seething. This was the first time anyone figured her out without breaking a sweat. She would think nothing of it for now, and made herself comfortable on the bed.

"I say, this night is getting more and more interesting by the minute. It's been forever since I've had this much entertainment. But you may want to tell your _'partner'_ to get that stick out of his ass. He is too uptight and no fun at all."

That did hit a nerve. It took everything Shirosaki had not to explode right there. He so did not have a stick there, nor a tense individual most of the time. The only thing that gave him away was the twitching of his left eyebrow.

"Che. I'll remember that one. No more tuna for you little kitty." He tried really hard not to pout, but he did mumble something nearly inaudible about ungrateful cats and not sharing dinner.

Ossan had a hard time containing his anger as well. It was not every day that he had to go through so many emotions or problems. From what he could gather this far, she was the same cat from the store and judging by the lack of clothing, must have changed her form within their rooms. Unless she had no issues running undressed. Shirosaki must have offered his own robe to give the uninvited guest some modesty. The empty plate and saucer he had noticed in Masaki's room, spoke of a meal, which Shirosaki must have shared. All in all, he could not let so much slide aside. Especially not in view of Shirosaki and his behavior which has been outstanding ever since they met Masaki.

"Shihoin-san, anything you may want to know about the two of us, our intentions or plans can be easily discussed at the Shoten as we have previously agreed with Urahara-san.

However, know that I will not allow **you** or **anyone else** to speak to Shirosaki in such a way. If you have come all this way just to insult my companion, I will ask you to leave immediately. Please keep in mind that if you do continue to offend the two of us, I will take mattes in my own hands. Trust me, you do not wish for that to happen."

You couldn't tell who was more shocked, Yoruichi or Shirosaki. Everything was said in a calm voice, but the heat in the words was not missed. Yoruichi was wondering if for the first time in her life, she bit more than what she could chew. Next to Ossan, stunned in silence stood Shirosaki, whose eyes were in danger of popping out from their sockets. This was a first for Ossan to use that tone with someone else. Normally, it was reserved for Shirosaki. Something within Shirosaki warmed up at the knowledge that Ossan would actually stand up for him and his sake. Must be a side effect of their long camaraderie.

A tender small smile appeared on Shirosaki's face. It was one of those smiles he had ever shown one other person. Proof of just how touched he was by Ossan's action.

"Thanks, Ossan."

It was said quietly. Too quietly. Had Ossan not been right next to Shirosaki, he would have missed it.

Yoruichi missed the words, but understood the meaning behind the pale ones' demeanor. She would not admit defeat, although she did in fact loose. She'll find another opportunity to play with the two. Probably when they got some sleep. It was no fun if she could not pull their strings. Looking at the two, she could see they were connected in a far different way than what she originally thought. Something connected these two. She was curious and wanted to unveil the mystery these two presented. What could have possibly bonded two mortal enemies? They were not only working together. No, there was a sense of solidarity deeper than anything she had ever seen between two persons who were not intimately involved.

Unless they were intimate? They did not give that vibe. Uh! She could not figure them out. Oh well, it would not be a first. She will find another way around their defenses. She cleared her throat in an attempt to gain the two's attention. She did get their attention along with annoyed looks.

"Sorry, mind to leave your love-making for later, when I'm gone?" Hehe, she couldn't pass on the opportunity to do a little jab. Shirosaki and Ossan glanced at each other for the briefest seconds, before Shirosaki erupted in laughter. He tried, he really did try to keep it down and be quiet. But that was too much. Ossan would have loved to roll his eyes, but instead raised a sound proof barrier in hopes of preventing an unexpected wake-up call for the sleeping girl next door. Little did he know that Masaki could sleep through a storm. Once asleep, she couldn't be woken easily.

Shirosaki was brought down to his knees, clutching his stomach with tears of mirth around the corners of his eyes, still laughing out loud. That was most certainly not what Yoruichi had expected.

"Ops! Guess I was wrong about your relationship." She received an exasperated glance from Ossan and even more laughter from Shirosaki.

"Was there a point to your visit or was all of this just a form of breaking your personal boredom? It would be most appreciated if we could have our privacy and the comfort of rest before we engage in any new activities."

Shirosaki was slowly recovering, but continued to snicker every now and then. He would have to spend more time with the were-cat.

"I did come to ask if you could keep an eye out for Hollows for a few days? The local Shinigami was called in for questioning due to the death of her comrade from the nearby town and no one was assigned as of yet. I think they are still checking what to do since this does not happen often. I'll go and check what is going on in Soul Society for a while. Kisuke is kind of busy experimenting and Tessai is going to try and keep him from making a huge mess. Think you could do me this favor?"

Shirosaki rolled his eyes, but was stopped from speaking up his mind by a hand on his shoulder.

"We will do what we can. I am sure you noticed there is a minor we are taking care of at the moment. Her safety is our number one priority, but we will do our best without being detected. Just as you and your companions do not wish to be spotted by the Shinigami, we too desire to remain under the radar. Shirosaki even more so. Can you imagine what Soul Society would do, should they get a hold of him?"

Shirosaki did not miss the feel of Ossan's reiatsu. He was politely telling the cat the girl was off limits. But was also diverting the attention from himself and putting Shirosaki on the spot light. Oh, he was good. Trying to make himself invisible. Judging by the nods he received from the feline woman, he was succeeding.

"Thank you, I'll go and relay the message to Kisuke before I go. I'd love to get to know the both of you better. In time I hope we can be really good friends. Well, then see you around."

Having said that, she turned into her cat form again and disappeared using Shunpo. The previously window was now open, leaving no doubts as where she had left from.

Both remaining males tiredly sighed. Simultaneously they searched with their reiatsu for any new arrivals. It did not hurt to make sure the demon cat was really gone. Sensing nothing unusual or out of place. Ossan closed the window and removed the barrier. He opened the door to check on Masaki. Thankfully the girl was blissfully still asleep. Shirosaki saw the other was tired by the slight slouch of Ossan's shoulders.

"Ossan, we are both weary and sleepy. Why don't we go get some rest and I'll tell you my findings in a few hours?"

He did not wait for an answer from his partner, but went ahead and left the room. Once in his assigned stateroom, he took a quick shower and did the rest of his business. He hated going to sleep dirty. Once finished, he took a set of sea green and emerald cotton pajamas. Just a plain shirt and shorts. He was asleep even before he touched the bed.

In the opposite room, Ossan had undergone a similar procedure. He was wearing a white cotton jersey and black trousers. Only he could find no rest. Too many things were running amok in his mind. By the time sleep claimed his consciousness, sunrise had already greeted the world with its light.

* * *

In a room lit by large monitors, a dark-skinned man was seated in a white chair facing the myriads of screens. His sightless eyes invisible due to the thick white framed, black shaded sunglasses. His aegean blue hair is braided and tied in a low ponytail by an orange ribbon. Black finger-less gloves adorn the man's hands who was wearing the standard black and white Shinigami Shihakusho. White calf-high boots clad his feet. The man was immersed in his work. How he knew what he was doing although blind was a mystery known to none but him alone. Even though concentrated he did hear the slight opening of a door nearby. Still working on his assignment, he greeted the new arrived person without the need to see who the individual was.

"Good evening Aizen-sama."

A polite, soft-spoken voice greeted back in kind. "Good evening Tousen. How are things going?"

The addressed Tousen stood from his spot and pointed to one of the many monitors.

"Not as we had expected. The latest specimen sent to the Human world did minor damage in Narukishi city and obliterated the local Shinigami. However, once back at the base, it started convulsing. I've been working on it ever since. I am afraid this sample was somewhat lacking. Soul Suicide should commence at any given moment."

There was a vague sound followed by a disappointed comment.

"So, it was a failure after all."

Nothing was said for a few seconds. Until the same soft voice spoke up again.

"Oh well, nothing we can do about it. Can I leave the disposal of the experiment in your capable hands? I have just found an even better specimen we can work on. Gin is preparing it for the procedure. By the way, have there been any news regarding Shinji Hirako and his group of misfits?"

The sightless man bowed and replied. "Of course, Aizen-sama. No. I regret to inform no new data has been found on the group. Ever since the incident, they have been untraceable."

If the man could see, he would be running for the hills at the enraged expression marring his companions face. Having approached the blind man, the one named Aizen was revealed by the light emanating from the screens.

At about 6'1'' he too was wearing the standard Shinigami uniform. The man has square framed glasses and calculative brown eyes. Short wavy brown hair with a fringe encases the youthful face. Along with the glasses he gave the impression of a scholar. Full lips were frozen in a blank expression. All in all, the man appeared to be a very kind and well-respected individual. Nothing would give away the manipulative and dangerous nature this person had as it was well hidden behind an unbreakable mask. Should you look intently into those brown pools, for the briefest second you might spot a glimpse of his true intentions. Similar to this instant when he was upset.

Nonetheless, by the time you blinked, his disguise was back in place. What matters if those research materials were still misplaced? It just meant he had to try to flush them out a little harder. He was, after all, a very patient person. His partner was able to detect the smallest of smirks on Aizen's features. He could not understand what the grin was about, but did not concern himself with it. As far as he was concerned Aizen-sama had the answers to all questions and was leading them toward a better future.

An abrupt beeping noise brought both men out of their musing. Aizen approached one of the keyboards and pressed a few buttons. Soon a cheerful voice could be heard through the speakers.

"Aizen-Taichou, the new addition is ready. Wanna take it out fer a walk?"

An excited glint was present in those brown eyes. Perfect timing. Gin surely did a wonderful job.

"Not yet Gin. We shall wait for a new Shinigami to be assigned to Narukishi before we continue. Please do keep it under surveillance until further notice."

The conversation was over after an affirmative "Hai Taichou.", was heard.

Facing the still silent dark-skinned male, Aizen spoke yet again. "It would seem we are ahead of schedule. Tousen, please do take care the previous subject is removed. Once done, would you join me for a cup of tea? We can leave Gin for a few hours. We should then get back to our barracks. We can test the newest specimen as soon as we have a new representative in our city."

Tousen bowed once again to his leader. "Yes Aizen-sama. I will join you shortly."

Expecting nothing less from his most loyal follower, Aizen left the room and the other to his own thoughts and duties. He was not worried. Shinji's group would be located sooner or later. He had ample time. There was also the issue of finding Urahara Kisuke. But he chose to take that assignment and solve it with his own hands.

Urahara Kisuke, a name he both respected and loathed. The only individual in all three worlds who could stand on par with his own intelligence. Finding Shinji Hirako and the rest would result in locating Urahara Kisuke. So far, they were testing around Narukishi city as it was under the jurisdiction of his own squad. Naturally, they would move to another city in case there would be any suspicions. But for the time being, it was the perfect sacrificial lamb.

He would recapture the escaped scoundrels, make Urahara Kisuke to bow down to his will and acquire the others Hogyoku. Once he had Urahara's orb, he would feed it to his own gem and achieve his ultimate goal. He would overthrow the Reiou and stand at the top of the worlds.

* * *

Morning came way to early for a still drowsy Shirosaki. It took him several seconds to understand what caused him to awake in the first place. The smell of breakfast was welcomed as opposed to the Hollow reiatsu he felt a little bit away. He groaned in annoyance, but stood up and opened the window. Disappearing in a flash of Shunpo.

He ended up in a park. The Hollow was a small serpentine thing of a magenta body. The mask itself was also nothing special. Using a quick Bala, the Hollow was gone.

 _'What better way to start the day. Should have stayed in Hueco Mundo.'_

Looking around for any other Hollows nearby, he noticed an elderly man cowering behind a tree stump. Just an average guy, with short black hair and a black and white business suit. The chain on his chest reached his waist. The fellow must have recently died, probably a car crash in his early thirties and no one managed to send him over to Soul Society.

 _'Che. Stupid incompetent Shinigami unable to do their own bloody job. Meh, may want to send this one on his merry way. Not that he'll have a better life over there.'_

He moved in the direction of the still quivering man and exclaimed. "Oi, you there. Come over here for a second and stop trembling. I'm not gonna hurt you or anything."

The soul complied out of fear. Shirosaki looked menacing without even trying.

"Look here, I can give you two options. One: you stay here and more of those things will come after your sorry hide. Two: I can send you to the afterlife. Your choice."

The poor man was frightened out of his mind, but easily opted the second option. He had no desire to meet those huge monsters again. Shirosaki materialized his Zanpakuto, which only managed to scare the living daylights out of the elderly man who promptly passed out.

"Che. Coward. Meh, at least it makes things easier. Less explanations." Mumbled Shirosaki and promptly hit the man on the head with the hilt of his wrapped sword. The soul shined blue for a few seconds, before it dissolved and passed on to Soul Society. Shirosaki promptly dissolved his Zanpakuto. He would have to remember to try and spend some quality time with Zangetsu. It's been a while and he had yet to claim his reward from Ossan. The mere thought was enough to put a large smile on his face. Feeling much better, he turned and was about to Shunpo back to the inn. He used Shunpo when he wanted to go silently. When he wanted Ossan to know he was leaving he chose Sonido instead. Therefore, when he left the inn he chose Shunpo, since he was not sure who was awake and who was sleeping.

Just as he prepared to move, he stopped and looked around. He felt someone's presence. No reiatsu, just the sensation of being watched. He breathed deeply through his nose. The smell was familiar and new. _'Aha! Got it!'_

Combining a Shunpo with a tiny portion of Sonido, he moved at an unbelievable speed. He was gone with a little buzz, but re-appeared silently behind someone's back. Having the upper hand, he shocked the figure clad in a black overall cloak.

"What are you doing sneaking around on people this early in the morning Getabōshi? By the way, good job with hiding your reiatsu. I did not feel you coming at all."

The discovered shopkeeper pulled out his paper fan from one of the sleeves of his mantle and turned to face Shirosaki, hiding his large grin.

"Ma, ma. Good morning to you too Shirosaki-san. I'm surprised. How did you know it was little old me, if you did not feel my reiatsu?"

Shirosaki rolled his eyes, his smirk still present. "You'd want to know, wouldn't you? Be a good Shinigami, answer my question first and I may end up answering yours."

He went to grab the fan, but Urahara had been swifter and closed the item, before putting it back in one of the cloaks many pockets.

"A fair exchange of information. I can work with that. By the way, what was that exquisite technique you just used? It sounded like Sonido, but I never heard you coming behind me."

Shirosaki gave the eccentric man a blank stare. "Oi, trying to avoid answering my question by asking more? That's not how things work."

Shirosaki sighed exasperatedly, it was way too early to deal with the nutcase.

"You know what, it's too early to deal with you and your antics. I'm going back. I'll go and get myself some breakfast. Then, if I feel like it, I may pay you a visit. See ya!"

He was gone just as he finished talking, unwilling to give the store owner the chance to explain himself. The blonde man took a few moments to compose himself. A smile crept on his face.

"Shirosaki-san. A Hollow who does not eat other Hollows but purifies them instead. You can even perform **Konso** *. Yoruichi-san even said you had a regular human meal last night. Just what are you? Such an enigma."

Urahara closed his eyes contemplating all the data he managed to gather so far. He would unravel the mystery that is one Shirosaki Ichirou.

* * *

 _Yay, I'm trying to give you even longer chapters How is it so far? Should I continue writing longer chapter or was the previous length enough?_

 _I can't tell you how excited I am getting. The story is flowing and going. Just the fact that a certain 'Protector' will make his appearance soon is enough to give me sleepless nights x3 x3 x3_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, by now I'm getting the feeling you don't hate and for that thanks :3_

 ***Konso*** = Soul Burial. For those who may have forgotten, it is a Shinigami technique to send spirits to the Soul Society. Normally the souls turn into back swallowtail butterflies and then move on. Making it a bit different for Shirosaki. He still uses the hilt of his Zanpakuto, the souls glow and turn into reishi which is guided toward Soul Society. Once there, the soul reforms clad in the clothes of the district it ends up in.

 ** _Reminder_** _: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead and an even brighter tomorrow, whenever that time comes :D_


	16. Chapter 16

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Chapter XVI out and ready for reading._

 _Usual disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

I think I forgot to mention, I chose the name "Ichirou" for Shirosaki instead of the classical Hichiro for a purpose since in Japanese it means first son :3

The reason behind my ramble will be explained in a later chapter.

It's been a while since the last time I dedicated a chapter to someone.

This one is for LiceSand. You don't seem like the person who has enough time for oneself. I can see you've been reading and reviewing chapter by chapter as you read.

Thank you for the reviews.

I do so wish you could have some more time for yourself. If this story somehow brightens your days even for a little when you read, then I am humbled and happy :D

Hope you continue and someday find this little dedication ^.^

* * *

 _Chapter XVI_

Masaki woke up from her restful sleep. She had the most bizarre dream of being transported from place to place by a dense darkness. She should have probably been more afraid, but it was so cozy and for lack of a better word, safe. All in all, the positive feelings outmatched the negative and she just enjoyed being enveloped by that warmth. Who knew shadows could be so comfortable?

Once she stretched, she saw she was still in her new dress. Ops! Masaki jumped out of bed and rummaged through the many bags inside her luggage. What could she put on? There were so many choices! A bit of guilt ate at her conscience. Kurosaki-sama had been so generous and patient during their shopping spree. And yet, she was selfish enough to want to stay at the Ishida's. That reminded her, she had not seen Shirosaki-san since yesterday morning.

 _'I wonder what Shirosaki-san will think? Will he agree or will he be upset? Hmm… I don't know anything about him and here I am wondering what his reaction would be.'_

She giggled at the course her thoughts decided to ran around in her head. It did not matter much. After all, Heika was more lenient and so kind. It was thanks to him and his support that she took the decision so quickly. She wondered, not for the first time, just what connected these two souls. Was there anything she could possibly do to make them feel any better? She had wanted to keep them happy, yet she was about to abandon them. Guilt was eating at her again.

She heard some noises coming from Shirosaki's room. They appeared to be grumbles.

 _'Hehe. Sounds like Shirosaki-san doesn't like to rise early in the mornings. Reminds me of dad. Mom was always the first one up.'_

Those thoughts only brought her down even more. She shook her head a few times. It was not the time to be wallowing in self-pity. She had to be strong as not to be a burden. Yes, she could do that much. Completely forgetting about the clothes, she still had to pick, she went toward Shirosaki's room in an attempt to brighten the others mood up.

"Good morning Shirosaki-san! Did you…sleep…well?"

When she opened the door, she was surprised to see no traces of Shirosaki. She could have sworn she heard grunts from his room. Where could he have gone? Looking around, she noticed an open window.

 _'Maybe I was wrong. Could it be Shirosaki-san likes mornings like mom? But those murmurs were so similar to dad's mood when woken up. Oh! Could it be he went to see a lover? Or did he go to escort someone home? I wonder what kind of person Shirosaki-san would find attractive?'_

Just like that, any negative thoughts were removed by curiosity. The mind of a young teen is a mystery. Jumping from one conclusion to the other. Anything to keep busy and away from gloomy clouds.

She closed the door and moved back to search for something to wear. She pulled out a rose chiffon V-neck blouse. The sleeves are mid-length and adorned by porcelain silk nets. Wanting to go light, she also took a wrap, cotton buttermilk long skirt and white sandals. Happy with her selection, she promptly went to the restroom to shower and do the needed. Coming out of the bathroom fully dressed and refreshed, the girl could not contain her cheerfulness.

"Ah. Nothing starts the day better than a nice shower." Murmured Masaki while stretching. She took the liberty to order some breakfast for all three, believing her two companions would join her when they got a whiff of the delicious meals. It didn't take long at all and there was a knock on the door. Before she could hope to put her hand on the handle, she got startled by a voice speaking right behind her.

"What are you doing Masaki-chan?"

The poor girl jumped out of her skin. Turning around, she was met with the eerie gold on black eyes of Shirosaki-san.

"Ah! Shirosaki-san! Oh, good morning. Wait, I thought you were out with a… never mind. You are a big meanie you know? Scaring me to death like that! You want to send me to the afterlife prematurely?"

Shirosaki had a hard time not laughing. After the irritating Getabōshi, Masaki's rambling was a welcomed change. He did take the opportunity to check who was behind the door, ignoring Masaki's outburst.

 _'Ah, a server. Then where was that delicious smell of breakfast coming from? Hmm, must have been from a nearby room or most likely my imagination. Guess that means I'm running low on reserves.'_

He placed a reassuring hand on Masaki's shoulder.

"Sorry squirt. It was not my intention to frighten you. But you were about to let someone in, yes?"

How easy it was to break the little ones' concentration. Having been reminded that someone was indeed waiting, Masaki turned and opened to door for the bellman. It was the same kind guy from the other day. He looked to be trying hard not to smile himself.

"A very good morning young Miss and young Lord. I brought you your breakfast. Oh, I took the liberty of adding a little treat, it's on the house. I… I hope it will be to your liking. It's the pastry chef's specialty."

When he mentioned the dessert, the young man was looking at the little lady and blushing furiously. Must have been taken by Masaki's charming attitude. Shirosaki had to try and keep his inner demons at bay, else the bellman would have to consider what kind of coffin he would like to be buried in. That is, if Shirosaki would allow him the grace of getting one in the first place.

The ever-cheerful Masaki, graciously thanked the bellboy and hurried him out of the room. She was inexperienced in many things and had a long way ahead of her. But she was not so blind as to not notice Shirosaki's murderous glare. She could not fathom why he would get upset over a treat. Maybe he didn't like sweets?

Closing the door behind the server, she turned to look at her companion and asked Shirosaki the first question that popped in her head in hopes of changing the man's temper.

"What do you think about my outfit Shirosaki-san? Do you like it?"

Ok, she asked two, but it was the easiest thing she could come up with. It worked. Shirosaki, shook his head and only then took notice of the blouse and skirt. Somehow it screamed Masaki. He approved and nodded a few times.

"Not bad, you actually look like the little girl you are."

Masaki could see the Hollow was just joking and trying to get a rouse out of her, so she went along with it and started complaining.

"You are such a meanie. If you behave like this, no dessert for you."

Shirosaki smirked at that and raised his hands in the air, as though admitting defeat. Right, like that would ever happen.

"Ok, ok, hot-shot. You win, I'll behave. By the way, is Ossan awake yet?"

The small victory dance Masaki was performing was abruptly stopped at Shirosaki's question. She shook her head in the negative.

"I did not see him coming out from his room yet. Do you think he is tired? We went shopping and that took a while. Then we did stay until late at the Ishida's. It was so nice. They have a really nice garden and a huge library. The selection of books was amazing. Oh, and there is also this guy who needs to loosen up a bit. Then there was Katagiri-san, I think she is around my age, maybe a bit older. But she was so sweet and…"

A sudden heavy reiatsu flooded the room and their surroundings, preventing Masaki from telling Shirosaki about the adventures and events of yesterday. Shirosaki immediately recognized the reiatsu and embraced Masaki, who was having a hard time breathing.

"Masaki-chan, look at me. Everything is fine. Just breathe with me. Slowly, take a breath in and let it out. Repeat. Again. Good, now once more. That's it, you're doing great."

It took two full minutes for Masaki's breathing to return to normal. She had never been exposed to such strong reiatsu. It was unbelievable. A most terrifying experience. Like you were drowning in a deep sea with no way of reaching the surface. Looking at Shirosaki's calm face, she wondered if he was affected at all.

Shirosaki could tell there was something wrong with Ossan. It was not everyday Ossan lost the grip on his reiatsu. Either something was really wrong or he was having a nightmare. If this continued, the barrier they had placed to ward off Masaki's reiatsu would not be able to keep up. He needed to check him out and stop his output before Hollows and Shinigami alike surround them. But, the little one was not strong enough to withstand the force of Ossan's reiatsu. An idea came to mind. He removed his moon dragon necklace and held it in front of Masaki.

"Masaki-chan, listen, I have to see what is causing Ossan to release so much energy. I will give you my necklace. It will block Ossan's power so it does not make you feel sick. Keep it safe, for me this is a very important object."

Masaki was surprised at the knowledge that this power was coming from one person alone. Heika sure was as amazing as the stories she had heard growing up. She looked at the item Shirosaki held for her and gently grasped it. It felt as though the pendant was offering comfort. So weird, Shirosaki-san was not affected and the necklace he had, provided a soothing aura. Just how strong are these two?

Seeing Masaki was fine, Shirosaki proceeded toward Ossan's room. Opening the door, he could sense just how upset the other was. Ossan was trashing around in bed.

 _'So, a nightmare after all. Better than a threat. What dream could cause you so much distress Ossan? Are you immersed in the past? Well, it's not surprising. We've been thinking and talking about **him** much more often these days. I should have seen this one coming. Guess I've got to wake you up before we do end up in serious trouble. It would probably be a good idea to move out again.'_

Shirosaki approached the sleeping man and started to shake him awake.

"Ossan. Ossan! Wake up! Wake up you moron! Come on. Want to get us all in trouble? Just wake up already! OSSAN!"

* * *

If someone asked Juhabach when he fell asleep, he would not be able to give a proper answer. It had taken forever. But once he did fall in a deep sleep, memories assaulted his exhausted mind. One of the worst was from the day his Ray of Sun shined for the last time.

 _He was rushing through the green plains toward the dark of the forest. The same forest next to the palace. He had been so blind, so foolish. How could he miss such an obvious trap? What's worse, he had sent **him** in that direction. _

_He really wished he had not lost the gift of precognition. It was his newest ability, but a very useful trick. Though, since he freshly gained that particular skill, there had been no time to use it to the fullest. Which resulted in getting sealed away along with that power. Now he risked losing his sunshine._

 _He would never forgive himself if something happened to Ichigo. Using Hirenkyaku, he pushed his speed to the utmost limit, only to crash into someone and tumble to the grassy ground._

 _"Uh! What in the world? Shirosaki! What are you doing here?"_

 _It seemed he run straight into the Hollow. He would have never imagined a day when he would be sprawled on the ground with Shirosaki below him. Limbs entwined with the panting Hollow whose white Shihakusho was slightly opened revealing smooth and strong pectoral muscles. The uniform was stained with patches of blood and grass._

 _"Ouch…" harsh breathing. "The hell?" More heavy breaths. "Ossan! Watch where you're going next time, will ya? It's no fun to smash on a hard body you know!" Shirosaki was still gasping, trying to fill his lungs with much needed oxygen._

 _Managing to remove himself from the Hollow, Ossan offered a helping hand to the other which was reluctantly taken._

 _Still trying to gather himself, Shirosaki looked at Ossan "…So, you too, huh? Huff…huff… Got into trouble at your destination too? Did you figure it out on your own or did you squeeze the information out of a miserable pawn?"_

 _Ossan gave him a one of a kind glare, which spoke volumes on its own._

 _"Now is not the time for idle chatter. Keep up or I'll leave you behind. Hurry!"_

 _Even before finishing his sentence, Ossan was gone with an impressive Hirenkyaku._

 _Shirosaki was fuming, first he got knocked down and now he was being challenged._

 _"Che! Right, like you could ever match my speed!"_

 _In no time at all, Shirosaki caught up with Ossan and together they moved in unison toward their goal. Having reached the forest, they were met with a new obstacle. A rather sturdy Kido was blocking their path._

 _They were already irked enough and a useless barricade was now in the way? Shirosaki was getting really mad now. They were in a hurry, damn it! Without consulting Ossan and with no hints of hesitation, Shirosaki materialized Zangetsu and removed the black cloth wrapping his sword._

 _"Stand aside Ossan, I'm blowing this thing all the way to Soul Society and them some more! Getsuga Tensho!"_

 _A condensed light sapphire blue blast protruded from Shirosaki's blade, hitting the Kido and exploding upon impact. Needless to say, the barricade was no more, along with a large portion of the forest. Well, Shirosaki was not kidding when he said he would send the barrier flying._

 _Ossan sent a blank look Shirosaki's way with a raised eyebrow, supposedly saying 'Really?'_

 _Shirosaki noticed the gaze and rolled his eyes._

 _"What?! The passage is open again, isn't it? So, I took a few trees in the process, big deal."_

 _That earned him no reaction or change in demeanor whatsoever. A large tick formed on Shirosaki's face._

 _"Argh! You piss me off!" An exasperated sigh escaped his lips. "Let's just go on ahead. We're in a rush, right?"_

 _It's the small things that bring most satisfaction in life and poking the Hollow was always a welcomed entertainment in Ossan's books. Although, Shirosaki was right. They were about to rush on, when they felt a huge clash of energies. The battle must have already started and based on the reiatsu signatures, they belonged to Ichigo and Soren._

 _Shoot! They were running late and out of time. The two began racing in the direction of the fight. Halfway to their destination, they were intercepted by a group of twenty Shinigami. Each one adorned with an unusual mask fragment and gold eyes sitting in a pool of black ink. All had their swords in hand and at the ready as though imploring confrontation._

 _Apparently, their arrival was the bell signaling the beginning of round one. Assaulted from all sides and by so many opponents, Shirosaki and Ossan took a stance back-to-back in what could be described as an instinctual reaction._

 _Swords clashed, the ringing of metal against metal reverberated in the usually silent woodland. Flashes of bright light were accompanied by explosions, compliments of Kido spells cast by some aggressors sitting in the back lines._

 _Shirosaki had no patience left for these weaklings. His beloved was fighting against a trickster known for playing dirty. He pushed his opponent with his sword a few meters away from himself and charged another Getsuga, obliterating most of his adversaries. Behind him, Ossan had called forth his two swords, slicing and dicing his foes with such grace he may have been dancing._

 _Of course, that was only the first round. While they got rid of the weaklings, the Kido specialists managed to summon forth chains in an effort to stop the two enraged men. Unfortunately, the strength behind those enchantments were stronger then expected and both Shirosaki and Ossan found themselves frozen for no more then a couple seconds. Those precious moments were all the attackers needed to finalize their incantations and reinforce the previous ones._

 _Talk about going to the rescue. Now they were the ones in trouble. Again! One of the Shinigami approached Shirosaki and placed a white collar around his neck. For whatever reason, it had no effect or so he thought. Not that Shirosaki would tell the idiots and formulated a plan to break through the many Bakudo blocking his movements. He quickly glanced at Ossan, who seemed to be doing something very alike. He smiled and concentrated._

 _One of the Shinigami took out a device of some sort and was moving it on a string between Shirosaki and Ossan. Neither seemed to understand what that thing was supposed to do and their enemies were not very talkative. They were grunting and making hissing noises._

 _"Ossan, I think these guys are under the influence of a Hollow or something. All these weird sounds they make are the same as the rumbles weak Hollow do. And the mask pieces… I bet they could even roar like Hollows if we hit them in the right spot."_

 _Ossan was shocked and stared at Shirosaki. It did make sense, but it was not possible, or was it?_

 _"Do you think they are being controlled?"_

 _Shirosaki thought for a moment and replied._

 _"No, I don't think so. I am sure. It fits perfectly. That's how those attacks happened! I wager Soren somehow found a way to put some Hollow powers into Shinigami and these guys. Most likely, he is using them as puppets."_

 _They were interrupted by a loud growl which was emitted by the device dangling in front of them._

 _"Hah! Told ya! Oh, man. Come on! For your information Ossan, whoever was on the other side of that little thingy, just ordered our execution. Mind doing something about the situation or should I take the initiative?"_

 _Ossan looked pensive for a second, while the Shinigami-Hollow puppets moved to finish them off._

 _"There will be no need. I've got us covered."_

 _As he spoke, Ossan's restraints shattered only to be absorbed instantly along with the chains holding Shirosaki in place. He summoned a huge bow high in the sky and a rain of arrows fell upon the assailants, destroying them on impact._

 _Game over. Their battle ended with their victory. That's when they felt a change in the air. Soren's reiatsu was dwindling, while Ichigo's was erratic, pained, but worst of all dropping at a fast rate. A cold sensation filled their veins and for some time, they were unable to move from their spots._

 _Shirosaki broke the silence with a whispered. "King."_

 _That one word broke them out from their stupor. They bolted, adrenaline and fear streaming through their very core. Pushing them that much faster._

 _Horror filled their bodies at the sight that awaited them upon arriving at the place where the battle took place. Or at least what was left of it. The dense forest was no more. In its place stood a crater the size of a large lake. There were no more green surroundings, only dirt and the smell of burnt wood. Nothing._

 _What terrified them the most was the view of the two male figures lying on their faces at the bottom of the crevice. Neither moving or giving sings of life. Any traces of reiatsu were already dispersed through the air._

 _There was a dissembled man at the furthest corner of the crate. His back burnt with a myriad of blisters, cuts and scrapes. The left hand was gone, along with most of his lower body. The hair must have been either blown or set on fire as nothing but a few burn marks and blisters were left in its place._

 _The other male was at least still in one piece, however, still hurt. What used to be a black and white Shihakusho was naught but tatters. The upper part was missing completely, the Hakama were reduced to barely shorts, feet were bare, with the occasional scratch. Several deep cuts and gashes were scattered through the entire frame. But the highest point of concern was the large hole in the abdomen. Blood was covering the entire form and leaking from some of the wounds._

 _Shoulder length orange locks instantly gave away his identity. A unison cry broke from Ossan and Shirosaki._

 _"ICHIGO!"_

 _Shirosaki, being the fastest of the two, was the first to reached the young man. He fell to his knees and gently turned the body of his love around, softly holding him by his head and back, Ossan at his side. They took in the damage the boy had taken. Most bones were broken and the dreadful gap in the stomach was no laughing matter either. They were met by hardly open, soft chocolate eyes and harsh panting breathing._

 _A tender tenor, barely audible, spoke. "Shi…Shiro…O…Oss…san…I'm…s…so…sorry."_

 _Pain overcame the two men. Ossan looked at his dying sunshine with eyes filled with hurt and sadness. Shirosaki even more so._

 _"Hush King. It's all right. You're fine. We… we'll fix ya."_

 _Petal pink lips covered in blood, calmed their large intake of breaths and formed a small kind smile. Taking harsh breaths through his nose, Ichigo slowly raised his left hand toward Shirosaki, caressing his right cheek. The tender touch and gaze showcased all the love he held for the other man. Same hand was lowered to rest on Shirosaki's neck at the white collar._

 _A frown marred Ichigo's face. He abruptly closed his eyes and grunted a few times, taking large intakes of breaths through his mouth, before he resumed talking with a slightly higher voice than before._

 _"This…is…a…bomb. When…he…dies…it'll blow."_

 _Ichigo opened his eyes again, there was a golden hue in those chocolate pools. Determination and a resolve strong enough to bring the heavens asunder brimmed in his stare. The palm of the hand took a golden glow, while the choker started to vibrate and tremble._

 _Panic overwhelmed Ossan and Shirosaki._

 _"Wait! Ichigo. What are you doing? Concentrate on your wounds, I'm fine. Stop wasting your energy."_

 _Ossan was about to react and forcibly stop Ichigo, but the apologetic smile sent their way, prevented him from moving from his spot. Ossan understood. Ichigo knew he would not survive. Undoubtedly something was preventing Ichigo's high-speed regeneration. The only thing that was keeping him alive was his Blut and stubbornness. Even so, he would not make it for much longer. These were his last moments._

 _"Hush Shiro… It's ok… I…I promise, I'll…find a way to…to come…back."_

 _Tears started to fall freely from Shirosaki's eyes, obscuring his view. He could barely see Ichigo who continued smiling while concentrating on his task._

 _Soon, too soon, the collar disappeared from Shirosaki's neck. It was absorbed by Ichigo whose body started to shake and tremble. Ichigo coughed a few times, while his hand fell back down to his side. On the other side of the gap, Soren exhaled his last breath and with it the choker commenced its preassigned task._

 _Ichigo's whole body shined in the golden hues of a star. He looked at Ossan and his reddish-brown eyes, a silent message shared between the two._

 _'I leave Shiro in your care. Please watch over him as you would over me.'_

 _There was no way he would refuse or negate. On that day, Ossan vowed to protect Shirosaki with his life. He sent his mental response back with a reassuring and distraught face._

 _'Don't worry. I'll keep an eye out for him until you return.'_

 _A quick nod of the head was all he got from Ichigo, who once again looked at the weeping Shirosaki. Small grunts of pain mingled with a barely there laugh._

 _"You know Shiro… It's unbecoming… for a Hollow… to cry, even more so… if it's you. Don't worry… May the Worlds break and reform, should everything crumble to dust and nothingness, even if it takes an eternity I'll still find you. I won't… uh… let it end like this. Nothing can keep us apart forever."_

 _Those words stirred something within Shirosaki. They displayed all the force and strength behind the man he loved. It was those characteristics and that fire that he adored the most about his Ichigo. That passion which consumed him wholly and made him fall hard for the younger man. The one and only person who ever saw him for who he is and not what he is._

 _That was his Ichigo, his King. The same who bestowed him with a portion of his name. Shirosaki quickly rubbed his eyes, even knowing it was in vain._

 _"Idiot… I'm not crying… Hollows don't cry… Just something in my eyes… Stupid King. You better keep your promise King. Who will I bug if you don't come back? Ossan here is not nearly as much fun as you are."_

 _A tired smile was the only comeback Ichigo had. His breaths were coming in small puffs now. He could feel his body disintegrating from the inside. Absorbing the choker and making it a part of himself was a good idea as he would turn to reishi instead of making a huge bloody mess._

 _"Shiro… I entrust… you with… Ossan… Thank you… for… for… everything… I… I'll miss you… I love you my Shiro…"_

 _One last smile graced Ichigo's features a tear spilling from the corner of his left eye. Shirosaki could not bare it anymore. He bent down and kissed his beloved with all the love and passion he had. In a futile attempt to share his strength and soul._

 _Ossan himself was not aware of the wetness staining his cheeks. He saw when Ichigo stopped responding to the kiss and stilled. Shirosaki was not deterred and continued for another moment longer. When the connection of lips parted, that was the time Ichigo's shining body exploded in a burst of light. The reiatsu particles fell delicately on the two grieving men, encompassing them with a soft glow. Trying to bring comfort to the ones left behind._

 _Screams… Shirosaki's and Ossan's cries and shouts could be heard for miles and miles away. Their tears cascading down their faces, washing the very ground where he had fallen. Their agony immense._

Ossan was swallowed by that aching hurt and pain. He was swimming in a black abyss of despair, searching for his sunshine, only to be reminded that he was gone. His Ichigo had been ripped away from him, from them. Later they discovered a lab and Soren's diary. The cursed choker was supposed to break the reishi particles of the captured soul. Reducing it to less then ashes. A soul destroyed in such manner could never be reformed or returned. And yet, he still held onto Ichigo's last words and his promise of return.

He was fighting the darkness. He wanted… No! He needed his Sun back. He could hear murmurs far in the distance. Someone was calling for him. But who? Wake-up? He could not recall falling asleep.

He soon found what the commotion was and was yanked away from the shadows, when he felt sharp pain cross his face followed by a loud yell.

"WOULD YOU JUST WAKE THE BLOODY HELL UP OSSAN?! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US CAUGHT?!"

* * *

 _Another chapter done ^ . ^_

 _Ok, this was my first death scene. Since this is my first story, for me, there are still a lot of uncharted territories. Although, personally, this was the hardest thing I have ever written up to now._

 _Hope I did a decent job and if not, sorry, I don't think I could bare to do it again. I already felt horrible at having said Ichigo was dead. To actually kill him, was awful._

 _For all those who are waiting for Ichigo's rebirth, worry not! I'm getting there and it will be worth all the trouble Ossan and Shiro have gone through :D_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, by now I'm getting the feeling you don't hate and for that I give plenty of love in return :3_

 ** _Reminders_** _: Hakama are Shinigami pants._

 _English is still not my mother tongue. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spell-check person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	17. Chapter 17

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Chapter XVII_

 _Usual disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

Hope you're enjoying so far. I'll try to be good and get us a little protector soon. In the meantime, here comes part 17

A little heads-up (courtesy of my overjoyed Muse) Isshin will still be in the story. There is no Bleach without him and his goofiness, so worry not :)

* * *

 _Chapter XVII_

Shirosaki's patience was running thin. Ossan was not waking, the girl was barely standing the reiatsu and if something was not done and fast the whole place would be swarming by Hollows and Shinigami.

Therefore, his best solution was to hit Ossan right in the face and scream at the top of his lungs.

"WOULD YOU JUST WAKE THE BLOODY HELL UP OSSAN?! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US CAUGHT?!"

The poor man jumped out of bed while simultaneously attempting to punch whoever had startled him. After living for as long as he did, sending blows around while sleeping was just second nature. Shirosaki, on the other hand, had expected nothing less from Ossan and was able to block. He grabbed both hands to prevent any additional retaliation. He spoke in a calm baritone, trying to appease the upset man.

"Oi! It's just me, relax." As an afterthought he quietly added: "Stupid Ossan."

It took Juhabach about a minute to even his breathing out and couple of seconds to compose himself. His eyes met Shirosaki's, getting stuck in those gold pools. No wonder Ichigo had fallen for Shirosaki. Just the thought of Ichigo reminded him of his memory turned dream.

"Shirosaki. My apologies. I must have fallen asleep. Did we attract unwanted attention?"

Shirosaki scoffed lightheartedly.

"Well, you tell me. After all, that is your specialty. I know you raised a barrier for Masaki-chan, but did you put one for us as well? If not, we should consider moving. The sooner the better."

Shirosaki's words were like a stab at Ossan's pride. He had forgotten to place one for the two of them. A silly and most unwise slip-up from his side. For one Shirosaki who has spent all these years at Ossan's side, the expression of mortification which came over said man, was invaluable. He rarely got to see the mighty Quincy King brought down. Heh, for a change it was not caused due to his actions.

The men were interrupted by a light know on the door frame. A shy Masaki first peeked through the opening and then entered the room, wanting to make sure everything was alright and no harm had occurred to Kurosaki-sama.

Her concerned look was all it took for Ossan to return to normal.

"Good morning Masaki. You must have been scared. I am sorry to have frightened you. Please do not worry, it was just a bad dream and nothing else."

Relief was so obvious on the young one, only further confirmed by her next words.

"Oh! I… I understand Kurosaki-sama. I guess this means you can have dreams and nightmares too, right? Just like anyone else."

Although it was not every day his pride was insulted directly, Ossan let it pass this time. But only because it was Masaki who asked with all the innocence she possessed.

"Indeed. At the end of the day, I am just another person."

 _'Oh boy. Could this day get any better?'_ Shirosaki was barely containing his glee. He knew how sensitive Ossan could be when his pride was in question. However, it seemed little Masaki could get away with no repercussions. The fun he could have by exploiting this juicy information.

A loud rumble caused the whole room to go silent. It was Shirosaki's turn to be mortified. His stomach was protesting, begging to be filled. There was food waiting in the other room, getting cold while emitting a most delicious smell. The aroma was driving him nuts. That along with the need for the 'supplement' proved to be a bad combo.

It was Masaki who broke the silence and awkward situation.

"Oh, right! Breakfast is getting cold. We were about to dig in. Kurosaki-sama, do you wish to rest a bit longer or would you like to join us?"

 _'Saved by the little girl's enthusiasm.'_

Shirosaki pretended nothing happened. Looking sheepishly around the room. But not moving from his spot. He couldn't jeopardize himself more than he already had. Thus, he opted to pretend he was waiting for Ossan to make his move.

Back on the bed, Ossan was enjoying his share of fun on Shirosaki's account. Though, he decided to be merciful, at least for now, and answer Masaki's question.

"I will be more than glad to join. Thank you, Masaki."

Masaki's joy was simply contagious. The energetic soul was, literally, jumping on her spot and rushed back to her own room, eager for breakfast. Shirosaki took the chance to speak with Ossan again.

"Oi. If you are awake and all, I could really use a supplement. You got some of those or should I go to Hueco Mundo to get a refill?"

There was no hesitation in Ossan's movements and he finally raised from bed. Rummaging around his belongings he pulled out a small silver tube, which he threw at the Hollow. Shirosaki's reflexes were too attuned to miss such a slowly moving item and caught the tube with ease.

"You should know better than anyone else, Shirosaki. I am always prepared. There will never be a day when I don't have at the very least one Ginto ready at hand. It's simply unfathomable. Should such a day ever come, I will be the first to throw my pride and title away. Because, even should I retire, I would still keep a few on my person. Therefore, it's not likely to happen."

The tone he used was rather playful which could only mean one thing, Ossan had gotten over whatever plagued his mind and was ready for action. Shirosaki sneered at the other in his usual way and proceeded to join Masaki, Ossan overshadowing him and moving toward the main entrance instead of joining them.

By the time Ossan reached the door a knock could be heard. Shirosaki was not worried, since Ossan was already at the door he must have figured out who the visitor was. Shirosaki crossed his fingers, praying it was not the crazy Getabōshi or the kitty-cat from last night. His wishes must have been heard, for it was Soken who was let in.

"Good morning Heika, Shirosaki-san and of course Lady Masaki. I hope your rest was peaceful."

For his greeting, Shirosaki sent him a sharp glare. The girl had no idea they had met yet. Which became obvious by Masaki's inquisitive question.

"Good morning Ishida-sama. Huh? You already know Shirosaki-san here? But, he did not come with us last night! Do you know each other from before? If so, how come he did not come to visit you with us?"

Shirosaki would have said something alike 'See what you have done?', but refrained from doing so. Instead he squeezed Masaki's shoulder in an attempt to gain her attention. Succeeding, he spoke gently.

"Yes, Soken-san and I have already met. I did not go visit because I had some very important things to do which I could not put aside."

He whispered the next part in Masaki's ear, so that only she could hear him. _"Besides, even though Ossan and I have been around each other for long, I never feel comfortable around hunters. But don't tell him that. Also, since I'm part Hollow the Ishida's don't like me very much, except Soken-san. He could end up in trouble should his other relatives find out. This is a big, big secret, you know. You can keep a secret, right?"_

Masaki giggled at Shirosaki's words, satisfied with the explanation. It did make sense. She remembered how Kurosaki-sama asked her not to tell Shirosaki-san he considered him family. Now she had to keep Shirosaki-san's and Soken-san's secrets as well. It was funny. Everyone liked each other a lot, but did not want to admit it. She started wondering why. Was it a grown-up's thing? Another notion that caught her attention was the word 'hunters'.

She animatedly whispered back into Shirosaki-san's ear. _"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. But who are hunters? I don't remember seeing any hunters around the Ishida's."_

Shirosaki snickered, it was so easy to distract the girl, but he did murmur back. _"That's just the way I call all Quincy. It was a way to irritate Ossan from time to time and now it's a habit of mine."_

Masaki chucked again. The other two Quincy in the room had been quiet up to that moment. Soken more out of astonishment at the Hollow's behavior and Masaki's casual conduct around said Hollow. It was fascinating to see, what was considered, a dangerous creature as Shirosaki, act like a regular person. It was truly mesmerizing.

Ossan on the other hand, knew Shirosaki for a while and could easily tell the Hollow was jesting around while simultaneously diverting Masaki's attention. He presumed Shirosaki said something along the lines of not wanting to be close to 'hunters' as he called his kind, which would then prompt other questions from the inquisitive young one.

He did break the little back and forth muttering of the two.

"Now, now you two. It is inappropriate to leave us out of your conversation. How about we enjoy our breakfast before we start our chit-chat? Soken-san, care to join us?"

Masaki took the opportunity to share around the huge breakfast around, not waiting for an answer from their guest. Luckily, she ordered a large amount of food. She liked the many different colors, scents and variations the hotel offered. Therefore, she had ordered a bit of everything.

She saw Shirosaki handling a little silver container and could not prevent her next question.

"Shirosaki-san what is that?"

Besides Ossan, all eyes were on Shirosaki and the Ginto he was trying to open up. He gave Ossan a harsh glare, which was simply ignored. Sighing he looked back at Masaki with a softer expression.

"You could say it's a food supplement. I need to mix the liquid inside this container with my food every now and then."

The girl nodded in understanding, but noticed the small engraving. It was a Quincy Zeichen. She then recalled the many pictures she stumbled upon in her Quincy studies.

"Wait, isn't that a Ginto? If I remember correctly, a Ginto collects ones' energy and condenses it in a liquefied state. It can be used in lots of different ways. Like Gritz where the reishi surrounds the opponent in a coffin thingy. Then Heizen gouges and purges whatever is enclosed in the space within the tossed Ginto… Wolke can help you if you're falling or need to stop hitting the ground. It cushions the impact making it more bearable. Hmm, there was something else it could do… What was it...?"

Soken took the initiative to enlighten the spirited young girl.

"Sprenger. For this you need to combine a Ginto with five Seele Schneiders. Using your bow, you fire the five Seele Schneiders and create a pentagon-shaped star on the surface. Once this is done and a seal appears. Throw the Ginto on one of the Seele Schneiders while saying at the same time the word 'Sprenger'. This way you activate the spell causing a massive explosion within its borders."

Masaki's eyes sparkled with awe and respect toward the elderly male. His explanation was so simple and easy, nothing like her tutors. She had always had a hard time following their lectures. She hopped Ishida-sama would be gracious enough to teach her even more.

Ossan continued his meal as thought they were discussing the weather and not a weapon of mass destruction. Whereas Shirosaki sweat-dropped. He remembered vividly just how dangerous that specific technique really was. He suppressed the shudder that the memory brought forth. He had no intention of experiencing Sprenger on his own skin.

He finally opened the Ginto in his hand and poured its content all over his food. It was either that or risking going to Hueco Mundo or, the worst option, pay a visit to Soul Society and steal food from the Rukongai districts. He was not mad enough to walk around Seireitei.

Although, the meal continued in a serene quietness. Shirosaki could sense Ossan's apprehension. He would have not felt it had he not been with the guy for as long as he did. The taste of anxiety was tangible to his refined senses.

Only after the meal did Ossan bring out the matter which bothered him.

"I believe now would be a good time as any to bring a subject up. Masaki, could I ask you to pack? Shirosaki you too. We should change place at the soonest. Due to my negligence this morning, there is a distinct possibility our location has been given away. As a precaution, I suggest to make haste."

Masaki and Shirosaki stood together and moved to do exactly that. Soken remained sitting and Ossan took his leave to take care of his belongings. It took no more than a couple minutes for all three to be ready. At that point Soken stood and made his proposition.

"Heika. As it was discussed last night. Masaki-san is welcomed to stay at our home and so are you. Shirosaki-san, however…"

Shirosaki jumped in on the conversation, with his well-known smirk. He wanted to alleviate the burden from Soken's shoulders. That and he wanted to make sure the smart girl would not get suspicious.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. That's no place for a Hollow. Besides, it's not like I would want to approach you hunters. I like staying away from your kind. A distance of several miles should be more than enough."

Masaki seemed disappointed. She met the Hollow recently and had only a few opportunities to get to know or talk to him. But in that short time, he gave her the vibes of an older brother and she became very fond of him and his quirks.

Shirosaki saw the look the girl had on her face. In the past, he would not have cared much, but seeing her so down did not suit the little one, so he tenderly grabbed her hand, making the girl look at him with attentive eyes.

"Come on squirt. It's not a big deal. I'll still get to see you every now and then. Like these guys could stop me if I wanted to pay you a visit. Besides, I have the feeling you'll be so busy you won't have the chance to miss little old me."

Masaki was not fully satisfied, but understood and agreed. The group proceeded to the main lobby. Ossan took care of the bill, while Shirosaki assisted Masaki to the parking lot and the car, having already snatched the keys from Ossan. When everything was settled in the truck, Shirosaki quietly spoke to Masaki.

"You know what? I think you owe me a pendant, Masaki-chan. Think I could have it back?"

Masaki had completely forgotten about the necklace Shirosaki borrowed her to ward off Kurosaki-sama's power. She placed a hand on the precious pendant and used the occasion to give it a proper look. While under the heavy reiatsu, she neglected to inspect the item with more details.

It was most certainly not something she would chose for herself since it was a black dragon holding a white moon. But somehow it fit the Hollow perfectly. What with his dangerous nature and snappy temper, he was the personification of a real dragon. The way the crescent moon was held, on the other hand, displayed a gentleness she would never associate with the powerful mystical being. It reminded her of how nice Shirosaki-san could actually be when he wanted. The way he woke her up the other night from her nightmare, the reassurance he gave her and even this morning when he helped her.

Yes, these actions were not expected, but still happened. She wondered once again, if Shirosaki-san had a sweetheart. Was it the influence of such a person who reigned over the mighty beastly side of Shirosaki-san? Or did Shirosaki-san change his volatile attitude for the sake of another?

So many questions, yet no way of getting them answered. She did not posses the knowledge on how to ask without sounding presumptuous or worse stepping all over the males' feelings. Therefore, she would remain silent and create her own stories and versions. That could be fun. She could already picture so many different scenarios thanks to the many books she had read.

In the end, she was so occupied with her thoughts, she missed how Ishida-sama sat at the passenger seat, or better yet how she found herself placed in the backseat of the car. Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san discussing something outside the car.

Standing outside the car, Shirosaki made a few suggestions of his own.

"Oi, Ossan! How about you take Masaki-chan and Soken-san to the Ishida's. Once you guys settle down, we really need to discuss a few things."

Ossan thought about it for a couple seconds.

"Hmm, a good proposition. Do you have any particular location in mind?"

Shirosaki thought about it for a bit, only to come up with an easy solution.

"How about Getabōshi's shop? You know the guy from last night? As you told him, if we are to work as a group it would be good to put all of our cards on the table."

A hum accompanied by a quick nod of the head was his response.

"In that case, I'll meet you there at the earliest. Do try to stay out of trouble."

Shirosaki snorted in mock offence. Him getting in trouble? Why on Earth would Ossan think something like that. He waved the other off and ushered him toward the car.

"Ok, you've had your fun, now get going. Not sure if you feel it or not, but there is a strong reiatsu getting close and fast. Judging from the feel of things I don't recon it's a friendly fellow. So, get in gear and get the hell away from here."

Ossan followed Shirosaki's words. He entered the vehicle and felt for the reiatsu. It was familiar. It took him a moment or two, but he did recognize its owner. Bazzard Black, more commonly known as Bazz-B. A hot-head and Haschwalth's childhood friend. Ossan would have considered showing himself, but refrained from doing so. Shirosaki's words that the reiatsu did not feel friendly raised a red flag in his mind. It would be prudent not to reveal himself to anyone but Haschwalth until he could be certain of the situation in Wandenreich. He drove off at high speed.

Meanwhile, Shirosaki lowered his reiatsu and hid behind a nearby wall. Deciding it would be good to peak every now and then to see who came and what they wanted. A guy of average height showed up, dressed in a white cotton shirt, white long pants and white shoes. Sheesh, could this guy get any whiter? Shirosaki at least had on his uniform a splash of black. Honestly, besides the green eyes and the ridiculous pink Mohawk haircut, this guy was completely and totally covered in white. Even the buttons and belt for heavens' sake!

Wait, wait, wait a moment! A long pink headed dude? He remembered one of the guys at the palace with a similar color. It was something with a B… His specialty lied around fire, which was why he was one of the top dogs in charge of the North Tower Unit. He used to make fun of Ichigo for his hair. Heh, like he was any better.

The man turned around a few times, apparently looking for something. After some time, he pulled out a device and started talking to it. Considering all the breaks in between, he must be receiving some kind of feedback.

"Hey Jugo do you copy? Yeah, I reached the area. Am I on the right spot? Can you check the coordination's again? … So, you're sure this is the place? … Nope, can't feel anything here. The hell do you mean I suck at sensing reiatsu? … If you think you're so good, why don't you get your sorry ass here instead? … Yeah, Yeah! The mighty Soren needs you to babysit the Wandenreich. … Stupid fucker! You know, if the guy was to drop dead, none of the Sternritter would bat an eye. You should consider just taking over and kicking him out."

The guy paused to take a large intake of breath.

"Anyway, there is nothing here. If there was, it's gone. We probably got a reading on a higher leveled Hollow getting into it with the Shinigami of this city. … Now that you mention it, no I can't sense the Shinigami. … Hah! See? They probably took each other off. … What? You mean the search for the girl?" A loud sigh followed by more chatter.

"Still nothing. I swear Yokohama is not even that big of a city and yet we found absolutely nothing. I'm telling ya, since leaving the manor no one was able to get even the slightest reading on her reiatsu."

Another pause, where he must be receiving more orders or hopefully complaints. The male continued with less heat in his words.

"Honestly, I don't understand why we're bothering in the first place. That retard Soren can go on and on about how she is the key to finding his Majesty, but I don't buy it! You know what? I think that's a whole load of bull! For centuries we, the Sternritter, have been unable to find and release the seal on the King, but a little kid is suddenly supposed to guide us to him? Right, I know, I know. I'll keep my mouth shut in front of his grace the _Regent Lord Soren-sama_. Anyway, tell the fucktard I'm going back to Yokohama to continue our search there. Over!"

The device was placed back in one of the pants pockets and the Mohawk headed man puffed out while cursing up a storm under his breath. Something to do with 'Stupid childhood friends not heeding advice' and 'Lazy pompous regal asses doing nothing while making them run all over the globe'. There was more to it, but to the hiding Shirosaki, it was all incomprehensible gibberish. Before long, mister pink sweet pea clad in white was gone with the Quincy's classical Hirenkyaku.

 _'Now, that is what I call gathering intelligence. Sweet, sweet juicy information. Wait till I tell Ossan!'_

Shirosaki was about to rush to the candy store, but desisted from using any powers. He would walk there. It was not that horribly far away. Better safe than sorry. On the way he made sure he was not being followed. He noticed a black cat trailing behind him, but let it be.

 _'Che! The kitty-cat is back. Didn't she say she would be gone for a while? Meh, whatever.'_

He arrived relatively fast in front of the shop. There was no need to announce himself as the ever-cheerful shopkeeper was already at the threshold. Shirosaki was sure the cat lady somehow informed him of his arrival. The annoying Getabōshi clad in his usual green and white combinations, hat, sandal and cane stood and pulled the damned paper fan out from the left sleeve and covered his face yet again. Curses! He just came and was ready to bolt away.

"Ah, good morning Yoruichi-san and Shirosaki-san. I must confess, I did not expect to see you for a while Yoruichi-san. Although, I will admit it doesn't surprise me. On the other hand, Shirosaki-san I was under the impression I wouldn't be seeing you here any time soon."

Shirosaki rolled his eyes at the other's antics.

"Don't play with me Getabōshi. I did say I would visit, didn't I? I never said at what time. Besides, I just need to crash for some time. At least until Ossan gets here. There is a lot at stake to be fooling around."

Urahara closed his fan with an unusually serious look on his face. If Shirosaki did no know any better, he would say he was in front of a complete stranger. However, he already knew enough to say it would not last long. True to his predictions, the shop owner lowered his hat covering his eyes for about two seconds, only to raise it up and wave the fan around.

"Ma, ma, Shirosaki-san. So somber. How about I show you around my humble abode? And let's not forget I did offer a discount for any purchase if you became a regular customer."

Shirosaki counted from ten to zero in his head. Temptation. He was suppressing the urge to blow Getabōshi with a Cero. He could start with a Bala and then finish him off with a Cero. No! Even better, he could go all out and crush him with a Getsuga. Damn it. The allure was hard to resist. He had to also deal with his Hollow urges, which was not helping him at all.

 _'Ossan you better settle down and get yourself here pronto! Else, you may find a hole instead of a store.'_

He grunted loudly, making sure he was heard by both Getabōshi and kitty-cat.

"Look here Getabōshi, I'll give you a fair warning. When I am in a good mood it's easier to control my temper. I was feeling rather good about myself, before seeing you. Now, I know it may be hard on you, but you should consider controlling the level of annoyance you put on my shoulders. In short terms: piss me off and I'll be blowing you so far away, you'll never reassemble yourself."

Just the idea of whacking the other male was enough to pull a sinister smile on Shirosaki's face, one capable to send chills down Urahara's spine.

 _'Oh, he is good. I'll have to remember to keep an eye out for mood swings. Other than that, it should be exquisitely entertaining.'_

Not deterred in the least, Urahara motioned for the Hollow to approach.

"Now, now. I'm not that bad once you get to know me Shirosaki-san. And why are you calling me Getabōshi? So unfair. I at least call you by your name. Or are you giving me permission to bestow you with a nickname? How about Whitey-chan or…?"

He never got to finish his sentence, as a blade was pressed at his neck. The murderous glare on Shirosaki's face spoke enough. Urahara's thoughts were running a mile per second.

 _'Note to self, nicknames are a sore subject. New attempts should be prevented at all costs. An extraordinary display of speed. I am not sure Yoruichi-san herself was able to keep up.'_

Urahara swallowed, but resumed with a jovial atmosphere.

"I presume no nicknames then. How about I offer you some tea as a peace offering? I promise this one will not be tempered with."

Shirosaki removed his Zanpakuto from Urahara. Point proven, quite literally, he responded with a deceivingly kind smile.

"Sure, tea will be fine. But I will accept it as a peace offering only if you add some cookies. Do we have a deal?"

Call him a masochist all you want, but Urahara was enjoying himself.

 _'It's been a while since we've had any excitement on our hands. Oh, yes. I was right. Shirosaki-san is indeed a lot of fun.'_

Using his fan as a pointer, he urged his two guests inside.

"Of course, Shirosaki-san. Come in. Make yourself at home. You remember the lovely room we've had our conversation last night? Well, we shall be using the same room to get better acquainted. Please follow me."

Yoruichi did not need any other prompting and moved right behind Urahara. Shirosaki took a few calming breaths, before going after the two. He was not looking forward to spending an extended period of time with the crazy man. He hoped Ossan would join them soon. It was much easier when he was around.

A black void opened to his left. Once again, his wish was answered. Two fulfilled requests in the same day? He must have collected some decent points with Madam Karma. Ossan came out of the darkness along with Soken. Shirosaki could not remember a time he had been happier at seeing Ossan.

"Took your sweet time. Everything alright at the hunters? Masaki-chan is all settled?"

Hey! He was not going to tell Ossan just how relieved he was at his arrival. Might cheer himself up by pressing a few of his buttons, before he had to deal with the nut case that was Urahara Kisuke.

"Yes, she is fine and adapting well. I took care of documents and formalities, she will be officially adopted into the Ishida family within the next few days. I am surprised you are not already inside. Did something happen?"

Same old Ossan. Not much fun. Quick and straight to the point.

"Yes. There is the information I owe you from yesterday along with new gathered data from the Quincy who came at the parking lot. You know, the one I mentioned before you left? Got some info while spying on the guy. Uh! I have this feeling, we will be spending most of our day here today. That does not make me very happy. But hey! We've got a job to do, right? Now let's get going before Geta… Urahara-san gets all over us with that fan."

Not waiting for a retort, he was not expecting, Shirosaki entered the shop. Ossan gave Soken a quick look and followed the Hollow, Soken right behind.

* * *

 _Another chapter, another stepping stone ^ . ^_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism, by now I'm sure you don't hate and for that thanks :3_

 _Ginto = Japanese for Silver Tubes. A Quincy item which conserves reiatsu and condenses it in a liquefied state. Can be used in many different ways._

 _Gritz, Heizen, Sprenger and Wolke = Quincy techniques using Ginto. Explained above in the chapter x3_

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	18. Chapter 18

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Chapter XVIII_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

Dedicated to all who are following, reading and reviewing. I never thought this story would become this big and today it officially 'became of age' in several countries. I'll do another mini celebration when chapter 21 comes out :D Thank you all for the support and kind reviews. I honestly don't know if I could have made it this far without all of you :)

* * *

 _Chapter XVIII_

The Urahara Shoten had a sign announcing it would be closed for the day due to inventory and restocking. On the inside in the 'meeting room', if you could call it that, gathered around the store owner, sat on hickory colored cushions the ever alert Tessai Tsukabishi, glasses, white shirt, gray pants and blue apron on his person as per usual and the black cat Yoruichi Shihoin. On the opposite side you could see Kurosaki Juhabach, to his right Ishida Soken, while Shirosaki Ichirou took the left. All occupants had solemn expressions on their faces. The round table was filled with cups of steaming hot tea for each individual and a large bowl of chocolate chips cookies.

Resuming the part of the jolly host, Urahara broke the silence by pulling his famous paper fan and beginning the session by waving it around.

"Now, now everyone. There is no need for such a gloomy air around us. Please serve yourselves. I already did promise Shirosaki-san here there wouldn't be any tricks. At least not on this occasion. Or do you feel intimidated by my fine-looking self? I admit to be a striking individual, though I'll do my best not to blind you with my awesomeness."

Urahara's mannerism earned no reaction from his guests. Such a tough crowd. A few seconds later, Shirosaki merely snorted and took a cookie from the bowl, munching on the treat as though everything was fine in the world. His trust display was all it took to lighten up the mood.

"These are not so bad. Can't believe you actually went and brought out cookies. I was sure you were the cheep kind of guy. My mistake. So, what is kitty doing back here? Wasn't she supposed to go investigate something? Or was her visit last night just a provocation?"

Urahara used the fan to cover his face, while looking at Yoruichi with surprised eyes. Yoruichi ignored the look sent her way. She had no shame in what she did last night. More like, early that morning.

"I do like to play with new toys. You seemed like a good option Shirosaki. Too bad you wouldn't take a hint."

Shirosaki gave her a blank stare, a fine show of annoyance, but no other sings of being bothered.

"Then, did you actually do any work or are we the only ones with info to share?" was Shirosaki's flat comeback. He had no desire to banter back and forth with the cat lady. Last night was more than enough.

Yoruichi was disappointed, she truly wanted to get on the others' nerves.

 _'Must be lack of sleep that is making the Hollow so grouchy and unresponsive to my charms.'_

Yoruichi kept telling herself that, but did get lightly offended by the accusation of not having gathered any news. She thrived the most in spying. Though, her cat form prevented anyone from noticing.

"I did in fact go to Soul Society. Seireitei is under the impression that the local Shinigami from Narukishi city encountered a high-class Hollow, started a battle and ended in Karakura town, where the fight escalated and both the Hollow and Shinigami perished. A memorial service has been held in memory of the deceased rookie. The Shinigami in charge of Karakura has been released and will resume her duties in two weeks. It seems the Sōtaichō decided to appoint two Shinigami to both Karakura and Narukishi as a way to prevent new casualties. He is also planning on changing the divisions in charge of the cities, but it is still to be decided who gets which town. On another note there have been reports of missing Shinigami. A total of twenty so far. It is believed they have grouped and went rogue. Most went missing when going in small groups of two to three members. While some became absent when alone. I will be going back to Soul Society later in the day to see if I can find any traces of these Shinigami. But I would not be surprised if those who were unaccompanied ended up in Aizen's hands."

Urahara lowered the fan and was pensive for several moments.

"So, he is continuing his research on Hollowfication. I wouldn't be that astonished if all twenty were under Aizen's control. On the other hand, your deduction was right, Shirosaki-san. To be frank, I was under the same impression. Had you not mentioned that the Hollow escaped, I would not know any better. I did run a few examinations. Unfortunately, due to lack of data, I was not able to gather much. Therefore, I can't still fully confirm your hunch to be accurate. I did, however, stumble upon a recording device. I can only guess it belongs to Aizen. That would mean the Hollow must have been a test subject and we may expect to see it again. We should be prepared in case it does return. Though, if there will be two Shinigami per city, our movements will be very restricted. I was successful in locating most of those tiny contraptions and I took the liberty of disabling them. So far, they were only around Narukishi, but we may find ourselves with more of those sometime soon. To stop all of this, our best shot would be to get our hands on his Hogyoku, if he truly has one. Subsequently, the first step would be to exactly confirm he possesses one. Any suggestions?"

All were in deep thoughts. Ossan and Shirosaki were the only two who had ever managed to gather the orbs.

"Shirosaki and I should be able to verify if this Aizen has the gem or not. However, I do not see that happening for three reasons. Number one: we have never had to work on unsealed orbs. All those we have dealt with were sealed or in the process of re-sealing themselves after being used. From your words, it appears the one we are dealing with is very much functional, but, luckily not fully awake. Number two: we have no idea where to find Aizen or how to approach him without exposing ourselves. Lastly: we do not have intel on where he keeps the item. If he is as intelligent as I believe him to be, he must have found a way to keep it well hidden. Chances are it is not even in Soul Society. Nonetheless, we should be capable to prove his involvement with the Hogyoku and the forbidden experimentation if we could get our hands on one of the poor souls he is using in his trials. Both of us will be able to confirm if the individual was under the influence of the Hogyoku."

Urahara nodded, those were all good points.

"Hmm, I wonder Kurosaki-san, would you be able to tell the difference between two Hogyoku? Hypothetically speaking, could you possibly tell if the subject was exposed to two different gems?"

Without hesitation, Ossan replied immediately. "It is not a situation we have encountered in the past, thus I cannot give you a straight answer. Although, it is most unlikely. As you know, the Hogyoku is not like anything else we are familiar with. It has a presence of its own, utterly different from what we use as a reference or back up. Each orb might be different in its own way to the untrained eye. However, please do not forget Urahara-san, they used to be one whole item, therein lies my belief such a task could not be accomplished. After all the time we have spent around the Haldister fragments, I regret to say, they do feel the same everywhere we go. Which is yet another drawback."

Urahara once again nodded in understanding. He could clearly see it was not going to be an easy feat. But then again, nothing worthy was simple. That was precisely what fascinated him the most about sticky situations. The impossible and improbable were nonexistent terms in his vocabulary.

"Alright. I see your point Kurosaki-san. If the core is the same, it must feel the same. We can't approach Aizen directly, thus the secondary approach of apprehending his experiments while they are left to run amok is a good start point. To facilitate the task, I created special communicators for all of us present."

He pulled out of his inner pocket six beige plastic items shaped in the form of a tear and placed them on the table. Taking one in his hand he proceeded to demonstrate how the object worked and the proper placement.

"You take one of these babies and put it on your ear. A mini-acoustic sensor and microphone are implemented in each piece. They are already programmed to record any sounds and transmit your spoken words to all of us simultaneously. It works by using the heat in your ears. When you do not wish to communicate to the rest of us, just remove it from your ear. However, in case of emergency, you can still reach us by feeding it a minuscule amount of reiatsu. In other words, as long as you keep it somewhat warm either by body heat or reiatsu the device will continue to work. Should you find yourself in a 'delicate' situation, simply cool it down by any convenient ways. They are waterproof and quite the sturdy little things, so it shouldn't break easily. Although, I ask you don't test their endurance by throwing them around. My main computer will do the tedious job of memorizing and tracking. Effectively should we find each other in trouble, we will all be notified of the place and going around."

Shirosaki looked at the little things lying innocently on the table. He chuckled lightly getting the unwanted attention of all participants.

"What? I was just thinking how Getabōshi here had the time to magically make these spy gadgets while talking with us. You already saw all this coming, more or less, right Urahara-san?"

It was Urahara's turn to be embarrassed, although he was pretending to feel shame. He started waving around the fan in Shirosaki's direction.

"Oh, stop Shirosaki-san. I am just a humble but handsome shopkeeper. I couldn't have predicted this turn of events. I am a very optimistic person, but I do tend to prepare for the worst scenario. In fact, I like to consider a situation from each and every single angle, any probabilities and possibilities no matter how improbable. You may say I like to have a hundred plans ready all at once."

The casual tone was not fooling either Shirosaki or Ossan. They were not sure if it had worked on Soken, but it was irrelevant. Snickering, Shirosaki added under his breath.

"Yeah, right! Handsome, puff, not at all. More like a dirty old man, albeit a smart one. Can't deny that one."

Urahara gave the appearance of being hurt by those words. While Yoruichi burst out in laughter. Tessai, Ossan and Soken were keeping their stoic postures. Shirosaki on the other hand had a huge smile stretched all over his face.

Once everyone was composed the conversation resumed by the disgruntled Urahara, fan out of the way.

"Now then. On to another topic. I have stumbled upon a very interesting piece of information. More precisely, Yoruichi-san did. A Quincy came all the way to Karakura only to depart shortly afterwards. I was wondering if there is any particular reason for this unusual occurrence. No offence Kurosaki-san, but besides yourself and Ishida-san, I did not have the pleasure of meeting any other members of your kind. And I have been in the World of the Living for a while."

Next to Ossan, Shirosaki was fidgeting. He was not sure how much he should tell. He still had to give Ossan his full report on recent events and discoveries. Ossan must have sensed his unease as he tried to reassure him with a tap on the back.

"It's alright Shirosaki. We have already agreed to work together. Consequently, this means we have to divulge some of our predicaments. How about we let them know the things which happened up to this point? I will tell them all I have found out in this short time and then you will continue with the most recent information."

Ossan did not need to wait for Shirosaki's confirmation as he could tell the Hollow was more at ease. Looking at Urahara's group he started.

"The information I am about to share is not known to many and I would like to keep it that way. Shirosaki and I have just recently returned to Japan to visit my relatives. By that I am not insinuating Soken-san and the Ishida's, but the very last branch of the Kurosaki house. In recent years, I have noticed a high mortality rate. At first, I believed it was due to incidents or natural causes. However, I received a disturbing letter from the last Head of the Kurosaki household telling me there were unusual 'signals' around their daughter. They lived in a secluded area near Yokohama and when we arrived, we found the mansion destroyed. Only one lucky survivor left, the mentioned girl. We took Masaki into our care and have requested the Ishida's to adopt her as Shirosaki and I frequently travel. From the leftover reiatsu, we established that the offenders were Quincy. The Kurosaki is an old family with an extended history within our kinsmen. Thus, you can imagine my surprise to find out the attack was done by Quincies. Soken-san has confirmed that some families and survivors from the war between Shinigami and Quincy have gathered together in a remote area we call the Wandenreich. They are lead by an unknown person and we are yet to establish a motive behind the tragedy. The Shinigami busyness and the situation you have may or may not be connected. But that was not your question. You asked what was a Quincy doing here in Karakura town. I am under the impression that the mastermind behind the destruction of my family is after Masaki. She is the last living Kurosaki at this point and it is possible that the person who came was looking for her or for a lead to her whereabouts to finish the job."

Urahara was greedily absorbing all intel. He would have to agree with Kurosaki-san. There was no connection at all, yet something was bothering him. It felt like there was a missing puzzle piece. Why would the Quincy target their own? Not to mention, why would they want to eradicate a whole family? Judging by the way Kurosaki-san spoke about his relatives and a mansion, he could easily conclude they must be dealing with nobility.

Yoruichi had similar thoughts, which she brought up.

"In other words, a whole clan is being targeted with the purpose of its complete annihilation. You said your family and the Quincy share history. I was wondering if perhaps something from the past may be the reason for the incident. Just who are you Kurosaki-san or rather Kurosaki-sama? Am I right to presume you are or at least you used to be the Head of the Kurosaki house? You do speak and act like a noble."

Ossan had a small mysterious smile on his face, invisible to all but one Shirosaki. It was an amused expression he had kept from his time as the Emperor. He would have laughed, but his own smile would have to suffice.

"As they say, 'It takes one to know one.' Am I right _Lady_ Shihoin?"

The cat momentarily bristled on her spot.

"How would you know that?"

Ossan did smile more visibly this time around. "You have just confirmed my suspicions."

Urahara's fan was back on his face. Yoruichi was bested at her little game something he did not have the pleasure to often witness. He would have made a snarky comment, but was stopped before trying by a swipe of Yoruichi's paw which took out his beloved fan. Oh, well. He would have to wait for another occasion.

Getting back on track, Urahara asked one of the many questions which were bothering him.

"Truthfully, it would seem these two cases are not connected. But I have this uncanny feeling that something is missing. Masaki-san, who is not present, is the linchpin to your case, while Aizen and the Hogyoku are our points of concern. However, we cannot let Quincy roam around Karakura and Narukishi, not with the threat of Aizen working from the shadows. Who knows what kind of trouble may happen if these two opposing forces clash with one another. Even more preoccupying would be if by some miracle the new unknown Quincy leader befriends Aizen."

Ossan nodded in agreement.

"I agree. It is not likely, but the probability is there. Urahara-san, may I inquire what is the ultimate goal of this person? You said he wants to create the perfect hybrid. For what purpose would he need to create such a being? It sounds like he is trying to play God, which is never a good trait."

Urahara lowered his hat, covering his eyes from sight. He had never discussed the topic with anyone else, besides his closest friends who were all exiled. Raising his head, he gazed deeply into the reddish-brown eyes of Kurosaki-san, hoping to find something more concrete.

"To be honest, you are a frightening character Kurosaki-san. You are reading through the lines a bit too easily. Well, you and Shirosaki-san too. We have not talked about this with many people, but we too have reason to believe Aizen is indeed playing God. No. More accurately, we think he is trying to become a God. I am positive, he is preparing hybrids or even Arrancars strong enough to bring Soul Society to its knees and usurp the throne of the Reiou. Of course, this is just a theory of mine as I have nothing to prove it with."

A quick spark appeared in Ossan's eyes, it was realization at just how dire the situation with this Aizen person was. The fool. Had he no knowledge of what the Reiou really was? Nothing more than a husk. A shell of a once great man.

He would know, after all the Reiou was his creator. He had never once thought of the man as his father. Not after being abandoned and left for dead for being born as an 'abomination'. His powers and senses had been his only saving grace, as by sharing a fragment of himself with others, he was able to grow and prosper. From there he became a ruler of a great nation. He did have resentments toward the Reiou, but never strong enough to warrant his death.

Not that he had to do anything about it. The man did get what he deserved in due time. The Shinigami somehow managed to catch him off guard and sealed him in an alternate space within Soul Society. Since he was too powerful, the Shinigami cut him in pieces and disbursed them around. If he remembered correctly, only the torso was left untouched. He did not see it with his own eyes. Instead he had a vision of sorts. In one of his dreams he saw the whole event. From that day on, the sealed entity was called the Reiou and became the cornerstone which kept the worlds in balance.

On that same day the Reiou became King, he pledged he would forget all about his creator and dedicated his life to his family and nation. This was the main reason he had continued on and took great care for his daughters when Serena died. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, he did his best to raise them. When Masaki wanted to marry a Shinigami, he had no major issues. On the contrary, he welcomed the idea. He knew Masaki would never have a pure-blood, but there was Katagiri. He had hoped that a marriage between Shinigami and Quincy would bring peace between the two opposites. That had turned out to be a colossal failure. The hole his wife's death left him was never filled. Until Masaki gave birth to Ichigo, his sunshine. Even though the little boy was not a pure Quincy, he managed to do the impossible and bring a smile back to his face.

He was lost in a sea of memories and got pulled out to the surface by Shirosaki's words.

"Yeah, well I for one, don't see those two getting along any time soon. Especially since they both want a fragment of the Haldister. Our only consolation is that the guy in charge of the Quincy is under the impression there is only one Hogyoku and hopefully the same can be said about your Aizen."

The quiet that fell upon the room was breathtaking. Shirosaki realized he had spoken too soon.

 _'Ops. Oh, well. I guess the cat is out of the bag. My turn to spill the beans.'_

He sighed lightly, preparing for a barrage of questions and emotional outbursts.

"Just to give you all a heads-up. In regards to the cursed gem, your Aizen fella is not the only problem we have to deal with. There is another person going after the Hogyoku. Not after the ones from Soul Society, as he is not aware of their existence, thankfully. Nope, the individual I am talking about is searching for the lost orb in the World of the Living."

Ossan's neck turned toward Shirosaki so fast he must have got whiplash.

 _'Ouch! He'll feel that one by tonight.'_

Shirosaki seemed sheepish at the attention he gained from all in the room and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Hehe. Surprise. Told ya we have to talk Ossan."

Ossan closed his eyes to compose himself.

"Anything else I should be aware of? And how do you know this?"

Shirosaki looked between Ossan and their spectators. He wasn't so sure they should be telling everything. His doubts were eased by Ossan's next exasperated words.

"Don't you dare hold anything back Shirosaki."

Shirosaki gulped. Ossan was not in a good mood and he didn't even give him the bad news, yet.

"Well, then you may want to know Soren is reincarnated and…"

Ossan stood abruptly from his spot looming over the poor Hollow, not giving him the chance to speak any further. The air electrified by the intensity of the man's rage.

"Do not play with me Shirosaki! Not today! Not after what happened this morning."

The last sentence was spoken quietly. Shirosaki was not perturbed by the other's sudden mood swing. He got used to those. In fact, most of the changes were his doing. He pulled out from his front pocket the piece of stone with Soren's reiatsu and threw it at Ossan who caught it with his left hand. He was fast for a man his age.

"Whether you like it or not, Soren in back. I knew you would want proof. So, there you go. If this piece is not enough, there is a huge rock with his lingering reiatsu in the forest near the mansion."

Ossan tightly held the fragment. Shirosaki was telling the truth. This sensation, this reiatsu was undoubtedly Soren's. He had to, once again, calm himself down. Sitting back on the brown cushion, he tried to do just that.

Soken was astonished. Never had he seen Heika in such a state of turmoil. Not that he knew the man for long. Nevertheless, he was sure a reaction of such magnitude was not common occurrence in his Majesty's life. Which reminded him of something.

"Hei…Err… Kurosaki-sama. If I may, the man who is in charge of the Wandenreich is also named Soren. As I mentioned, we never got to see him, but I did hear the leader's name being spoken. With us having similar names it was easy. Chances that these two individuals are one in the same is high."

Ossan did not show any changes on the outside, but inside he was fuming. The rubble in his left hand had turned to dust from the strength of his grip. He released the hold and let the powder fall onto the table. He stared intently at his now empty hand, immersed in thoughts.

Shirosaki knew how the other felt. When he first found traces of Soren's reiatsu, he too had the unquenchable urge to blow something up. Not that either of them got the chance with all the happenings. He grabbed Ossan by the raised elbow.

"Oi. Listen here. We'll get him this time. Remember all those sayings 'Karma's a witch'? See, I'm even trying not to say the 'B' word for your sake. Look, we know what kind of man we're dealing with, we're smarter than back then and we're teamed up. Oh! And you better not forget, I called dibs on him first. I'm not about to share that privilege if you behave like this."

Shirosaki spoke calmly, gradually increasing his voice until the last two sentences when a sadistic smile broke on his face. Ossan looked deeply into those mesmerizing eyes. Shirosaki was right. It was about time for some payback.

Urahara's group had been shocked into silence. It was official, they were doomed. Ossan did recover and returned to his stoic posture.

"I believe you said there were many things to be discussed Shirosaki. Now is a good time as any. Proceed."

If you thought Shirosaki's smile could not become even larger, you were right. But if it could, it would.

"Ok. Starting from the mansion. The place is a wreak. Deep in the forest beyond the labyrinth is some sort of meeting or reunion place. Besides that piece of rock, I've found these things as well, scattered all over."

Shirosaki pulled out what appeared to be fabric parts as well as a medallion. Soken reacted at the sight of the later, while Ossan inspected the items.

"Hmm. The fabric will not be useful at all. It's just part of the servant's uniforms. This medallion-like object on the other hand, may prove very useful. Soken-san, am I right in presuming you are familiar with its properties? Your stiffening just now gave you slightly away. But even if you had not encountered this article before, there is no way for me not to recognize it."

Soken stood frozen in place. Heika was a truly remarkable person. He could tell his change in posture without even looking at him. No point in hiding something that is obviously known.

"Yes… Kurosaki-sama. It is as you say. It's a device that opens a portal to the Wandenreich."

Ossan placed the little item on the table and gave Shirosaki a pointed look.

"Neat. At least we have one lead. Next was supposed to be the information about the strange Shinigami activities, but we have already gone over that. Then we have this morning's case. When you guys left, a Quincy with pink hair came over at the parking slot. I can't remember the guy's name, but I think it was B something. Anyway, I overheard a conversation he was having with an individual he called 'Jugo'. From his words, he came because they had picked on a strong reiatsu and had sent him to investigate. By the way, totally your fault Ossan. Since they were unable to trace the reiatsu of the local Shinigami, they are all under the impression the outburst was from a fight between the two. That at least came in handy. I also heard him talking about searching for a girl under the orders of _'Soren-sama'_. Seems like they are having no luck around Yokohama. Jeez, wonder why. Anyway, they are looking for Masaki because she is supposed to be the key to release the seal on the Quincy King."

Everyone in the room remained stunned at those last words, but for different reasons. Urahara's group had no idea that the Quincy King, or a part of him, was sitting not even a meter away from them and sipping tea. Though, they all had read the history. As per Shinigami records, the Quincy King was a power hungry devious man with power to rival the Reiou. For them just the idea of a group looking for a way to unseal this dangerous person was more than enough reason to be worried.

Their nervousness and worry were very obvious for the three on the opposite side of the table. Judging by the restlessness of their hosts, it was clear they would not be comfortable with working together with such an entity. It was a good thing that Ossan had assured to keep his name a secret. To most Quincy he was only known as the Emperor Bach, his full name and his last name had been a well-kept secret, very few among their kind were made aware of. The Ishida's and Kurosaki's were the rare exceptions, naturally due to their connection and the marriage arrangements from ages ago.

Shirosaki gave a barely noticeable nod to Ossan and continued on.

"Ma. It seems this guy as well as a number of Quincy in Wandenreich believe this story to be full of crap and as per his very own words: _'For centuries we, the Sternritter, have been unable to find and release the seal on the King, but a little kid is suddenly supposed to guide us to him?'_ Yeah, I don't agree either. But hey! At least we know there are some disagreements among their army. It's definitely a bonus."

Shirosaki ended the conversation with a gleeful smile, but dropped it at the apprehension plastered on Ossan's face.

 _'The hell?! I think he is getting pale.'_

Urahara, too saw Kurosaki-san's transformation.

"Kurosaki-san, is something the matter? You look quite distressed."

Ossan took a minute or two to response with a nod, making everyone stiff on their spots.

"There is a humongous problem and it is Soren's reason to capture Masaki. I can guarantee it has nothing to do with the Quincy King. No. The true motive lies in the knowledge… a memory… a misinformation he got in his previous life. He was told that Masaki was the last person to have had the Hogyoku in her hands."

* * *

 _^ . ^_

 _How is it? I'm getting deep into the mess, but it's all going to get easier… someday at some point. Or so I think x3_

 _Thank you for reading :3_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	19. Chapter 19

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Chapter XIX ready and done._ _And officially my longest chapter to date :3_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

Dedicated to all who are continuously fighting. All of you 'warriors' who are not giving up no matter the consequences. That's just the kind of people we are…we move forward toward our destinations… our goals…

* * *

 _Chapter XIX_

 _'How come when someone says something unimaginable, everyone quietens down only to burst in a clamor of noise?'_

Those were Shirosaki's thoughts after Ossan's last sentence. _'What was so weird about his statement that has everyone looking at us with those outraged expressions?'_

To Shirosaki's dismay, Getabōshi was the first to regain his wits.

"Kurosaki-san are you insinuating that the girl in your custody has a fragment of the Hogyoku? In other words, a certain Soren character, who is the current leader of the Quincy, is searching for one of the orbs which is in the hands of a child? Taking in consideration everything said up to now, it is the last 'missing' gem from this world. Even so, you yourself claim that it has not been seen as of yet. There seems to be much more to this story than meets the eye, or in our case, 'more than we hear'. Not to mention missing details. May I request for a better explanation?"

Ossan had been prepared for the questioning, consequently he had no issues in giving his answers.

"It is true that the last remaining Hogyoku from the Living World has not reappeared. Just as it is true that Masaki **had** been in possession of the gem at one point in her first lifetime."

Ossan stopped to take a deep breath before continuing.

"You do recall I have an extended data of the Haldister, yes? I am sure you must have been wondering how come I know so much. The reason is simple. I used to be acquainted with its creator. Please do note, as I already did say, I have no idea what the individual was thinking when he created the jewel nor how it got broken. The thing is, one of the fragments ended up in my care and I passed it on to the next generation of Quincy within my own family branch. The love of my life was to inherit the item and pass it onto our children. She died during child birth… We had two daughters… twins… Katagiri and Masaki. Masaki being the younger of the two. For some reason, the orb resonated better at her reiatsu than her sister's. Therefore, I entrusted her with keeping the heirloom safe with the instruction to give it in its sealed state to the next worthy descendant… Masaki married a Shinigami, Soren, and together they had a beautiful baby boy, my grandson… my little Sunshine… I still can't fathom why it took me so long to see beyond Soren's guise… He found out about the fragment and its properties. He tried to get it by any means. The war with the Shinigami started around that time as well, thus, my concerns were diverted from his plans. By the time I realized he was after the gem it was nearly too late. I confronted Masaki and asked her to return it to avoid her getting hurt. She told me the orb was already handed over to another family member. The most intriguing part was the fact that she could not remember to whom she gave it."

A loud sigh came Ossan's tired lips. This was not a conversation he wanted to talk about, but he knew he had to explain the past, if they had any chances of understanding the present. As consolation, he was hoping some clarification would surface, if he spoke about the time gone by.

"Tampering with ones' memory was and continues to be, one of the most difficult techniques a Quincy can attempt to master. It requires a lot of control, dedication and delicacy. Any misstep and both the caster and the recipient could end up dead in an instant. It was one of the few practices of our kind the Quincy King had spoken, but not showed to anyone. Even more, he had strictly prohibited it's use. As per his own words, it was too dangerous and could only result in disaster. To discover that someone from my family not only managed to learn it on their own, but was also capable to apply it safely… It must have been the greatest surprise of my life. Yet, Soren never gave up on the idea of acquiring the stone. He went after each and every one of my relatives… including his own son. Needless to say, with so many distractions and soon after the apprehension of the Quincy King I lost track or Soren's goals… In the meantime, Soren… he caught a lead on the gem and went after his own boy. My grandson… my radiant beam of light… became the target of a power-hungry lunatic…"

Ossan took another pause and a large gulp of tea. His throat was constricting and he was having a hard time going on. Shirosaki at his side raised his hand and placed it on his shoulder, trying to offer comfort. He had never been good at it, but he knew how hard it was for Ossan to reminisce about past. He sure as hell knew… for he too felt that anguish which accompanied Ossan's words in his very blood and bones.

"In the end, the two ended up in a fierce battle… Soren lost, but at a great price… The Hogyoku be damned for all the suffering it caused. In a journal we later found, my grandson confessed the gem was entrusted into his care. The smart kid… He had placed a barrier on the diary, preventing anyone besides either Shirosaki or myself to unlock it… Heh, he did a minor error, for to open the log required Quincy powers which Shirosaki does not have… He admitted to have erased his mothers' memories for her own protection. The 'family heirloom' was hidden for all eternity in such a way that it would be impossible to find… He foresaw his father's ambitions and his motive of going after the gem. Apparently, Soren desired the orb to become the King of all lands. In a last effort to confuse and take Soren off the right path, he stated that should he come to cross swords with the maniac, he would give him false information regarding the Hogyoku. The info would be that the one to have the orb was his mother. Her memory erased by the Emperor, making her believe she gave it to someone else. Should anyone try to hurt her the Hogyoku would be gone until she could be reincarnated again. Basically, should the carrier of the fragment be harmed in any way, the stone would disappear and only return within a new reincarnation."

Ossan took another break to steady himself. Shirosaki's support was unusual, but welcomed. He proceeded as soon as he could.

"My little Sun, who was not even eighteen at the time, died in an effort to prevent that one piece to fall into the wrong hands. Ever since that fateful day, Shirosaki and I have researched thoroughly the Haldister and swore to find them all. Our goal is to make them useless and prevent any new issues from occurring due to the nature of the stones. When they were one jewel, the Haldister was capable of reading ones' heart and could determine whether the person was worthy of its desires or not. I presume that once it god damaged, the gems retained the property of seeing the greatest yearning of its user, but lost that certain touch… the possibility to 'judge' the personality of the individual holding it."

The room fell silent once again. Urahara had not expected such an elaborate confession. He had guessed right that the missing gem had been in the Kurosaki's family. It was a shame it got lost, especially with such a tragic outcome. On another note, the last owner claimed it was well concealed. At least they could get some consolation out of that. Although, he could see in Kurosaki-san's eyes… There could never be comfort to those who outlive a young life. A child stood up against a monster and won, still the price o such victory would truly never be enough for the distraught man sitting in his meeting room.

But at least now they knew for sure. There were only two Hogyoku left to take care of. And those were his and Aizen's. Not the best solution, but better than nothing. He would have to consider recuperating the one he had sealed and left behind.

"I guess the only thing we can do now is keep the little lady safe. Is she even aware of the situation?"

Ossan shook his head in the negative.

"I asked her parents, she does not remember her previous life. Not once in any of her reincarnations had she retained memories from the first lifetime. For this reason, I would like to keep her in the dark. Just imagine the ordeal of finding out that your entire family was murdered for the sake of capturing a single person? On top of that, she is only fourteen."

Silence once again. This time broken by an unruly Shirosaki. His patience nonexistent after having had flashbacks of that period, brought to the surface from Ossan's tale.

"Now that everyone is up to date, can we get a move along and decide what to do next? It's obvious your Aizen and our Soren are not going to work together since they want the same thing. Ok, fine! Maybe not exactly the same, but similar enough. Soken-san will keep Masaki-chan safe, if he thinks it's smart after hearing all this. Gramps, if you feel like it's not a good idea, we won't judge you. There is a crazy ass maniac out there who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Proven when he annihilated Ossan's family. So, reflect carefully about it while you can. We have a problem with Shinigami getting themselves killed by their own. Then, there are Quincy doing the same. Honestly, if this continues any longer, I will have to say Hollows are the calmest and most peaceful race. And let's not forget, 'Hollow' and 'peace' are two words which should never be even spoken in the same phrase unless it's the end of the world!"

Alright, he was ranting and, after his tirade, panting. But he was trying to get everyone to understand that nothing will be solved if they continue sitting on their behinds. Would you look at that. He should have probably just said that. Surprisingly it was the cat who understood his outburst.

"We do have our hands full, hence we should probably formulate a few plans. Ishida-san are you willing to take… Masaki-san was it?... under your protection, even after hearing all this?"

Soken had absolutely no second thoughts. He and Else had already agreed to take Masaki even with the threat of a possible attack. Now fully aware of the whole situation, he was even more determined to offer security to the oblivious child. He turned to face his Majesty with resolve in his eyes.

"I was aware it was not an easy assignment, I know my family may become targeted. Even so, my wife and I have already chosen to take custody over Masaki-san. She is a bright girl who has a marvelous future in front of her. Kurosaki-sama, I still wish to proceed and take care of her as though she was my own. Pardon my audacity, but I do request you do not take that honor and privilege from us."

Ossan nodded once. He did not show it, but he was glad at the prospect of Masaki having a somewhat normal life while Soken turned to look at the Hollow next to his Majesty.

"As for you Shirosaki-san, I would highly appreciate if you would call me Ishida-san or at least Soken-san. The term 'gramps' will be either ignored or tossed back right into your very own face, until I find a more adequate nickname for you."

Shirosaki's grin consumed his face. Oh, he sure liked this hunter. He was not too much of a stick in the mud and he had guts. Urahara looked between the two males and decided to take over the course of the conversation.

"How about we continue? It was mentioned that some Quincy are not entirely happy with the person known as Soren. Kurosaki-san do you think they may be turned against him?"

Ossan thought deeply about it for some time.

"It could be done, but only if we managed to get in touch with Haschwalth Jugram. He was and still is one of the rare members of my kind I entirely trust. If I recall correctly, he should be the second in command."

Soken saw the chance to provide a bit more information to the growing pile.

"Hei… Kurosaki-sama, I can confirm Master Haschwalth is still the second in command. Although, if I may, I have reason to believe Haschwalth-sama is not permitted to go outside the Wandenreich. Not once was he allowed to leave. Every time our kind was sent out, he was stopped by Soren-san's order to stay behind and guard the Wandenreich."

Shirosaki added his two cents. At this point, he could not make matters worse with his acquired intel.

"Yeah, now that I think about it, that 'B–what's his face' guy said something alike."

Ossan was pensive. If only they could reach Haschwalth, they would gain an inside mole which would greatly facilitate any future missions. He could also ask Haschwalth to make sure no direct contact was made with the Shinigami Aizen.

"Hmm. I am even more convinced we should find a way to get in touch with him. Bazzard Black was sent here because they felt my reiatsu this morning. Yes, they may have not recognized it, but I am willing to bet Haschwalth did. We should determine if he is on our side and if he would agree to become our informant. That would give us a direct link to Soren and we could monitor his progress. Not only that, we could prevent any chances of contact between Quincy and the Shinigami."

All in the room thought about it and agreed in their own ways it would be a good option. Urahara had an inkling that Kurosaki-san knew exactly how to step in contact with this new unknown individual.

"Am I right to presume you have already formulated a plan, Kurosaki-san?"

Ossan nodded his head.

"There are several choices available at hand. One of them is to speak with Bazzard Black. Judging from Shirosaki's words, he is one of those who are not fond of Soren. He is also very close to Haschwalth, as they are childhood friends. We can certainly use that to our advantage."

Shirosaki eagerly nodded in agreement.

"Bazz-B! Oh, he is so not Soren's fan! He did say he could care less about the bastard. That, and he also mentioned that if 'Jugo'… Hehe, they have pet names, how cute… Argh! He said that if Haschwalth was to take over the base, everyone would follow him. Looks like his past reputation is more than enough to warrant respect."

A proud smile crept on Ossan's face. To appoint Haschwalth as his right-hand man was the wisest decision he had ever made. The youngster's calm passion complemented his decisive strikes like no other. Among all his children, Haschwalth was the only one who had the power to share his assets with others. He had no trouble in dividing his power with Haschwalth at night. When asleep at night he, the Quincy King, had to take the mantel of the Father of all Quincies to expand his powers among those with enough will to withstand his gifts. Haschwalth took over the other portion of his powers. That way the Emperor could, undisturbed by the hum of his own reiatsu, distribute or take the core of Quincy powers without using Auswählen.

Haschwalth had taken that duty remarkably well. Never had he abused this peculiar skill for his own benefits. Those were all qualities he greatly rewarded. Haschwalth became his second in command as well as the Adviser and Grandmaster. His joy was tarnished by the storekeeper.

"I am not so sure it would be wise to contact someone we are not certain would be on our side. Not to mention we do not know where to find either of the two men you spoke of, unless we were to use the teleportation device you showed us. That on itself is an enormous risk as I am sure it has a system of alerting the Quincy of who comes and goes. In other words, it would alert them of our arrival."

Shirosaki snickered lightly.

"Really? First of all, if there is one thing I know about hunters, it is that Haschwalth is a trustworthy man. And what do you mean with 'alert of our arrival'? You sound like you're under the delusion you would be going as well. Hah! Get real! Your duty is Aizen, just as Soren is ours. Anyway, I already called dibs on Soren's head. Besides, who said we don't know where to find one of the guys? I know for sure Bazz-B is in Yokohama guiding a troupe of Quincy in search for Masaki-chan."

Everyone in the room shot him with dirty looks.

"What?! I was going to say that before, but we kind of changed subject."

Ossan sighed. He had hopped Shirosaki would have learnt how to divulge information properly by now. Another trait the Hollow had which he had to accept and live with. Urahara took out the fan and started pointing it around as he went on with preliminary plans.

"I believe we have found a solution to one of the issues. For this mission, if I may, I would appoint Kurosaki-san and Ishida-san to approach the Quincy and see if an alliance can be formed. Yoruichi-san, if we could kindly ask you to monitor Soul Society and to let us know any news. Care to also check on Aizen and his minions while at it? Shirosaki-san should stay here and take care of any Hollows coming to Karakura. I would also recommend for him to be around Masaki-san as a bodyguard. Since Ishida-san cannot be seen befriending a Hollow, I can try to create a gigai for Shirosaki-san which would make him seem more human-like. Tessai-san and I will work on gathering all data from each side and keep you all in touch with new developments while working on a way to assure miss Masaki is not found by either side. Of course, we will do our best to apprehend any experiments Aizen sets loose in either Karakura or Narukishi. Shirosaki-san, I am counting on your help should we face such a specimen."

None had any issues with their appointed projects. That is to say, none but Shirosaki who abruptly stood up in agitation.

"Wait a moment! Are you telling me I have to stick around here? Hell no! I refuse to be anywhere near you, any of your bloody false corpses, or gigai or whatever you wanna call it! Who is to say you won't be experimenting on me, if I was to drop my guard? Or even that this gigai thing will work considering what I am. I don't trust crazy scientists."

A hand was placed on his shoulder and when he turned he was met by reddish-brown eyes.

 _'When did Ossan get behind me? Wait, when did he stand up?'_

"Take it easy Shirosaki. You don't have to do anything you don't like."

Ossan then shot Urahara a deathly glare.

"I will give you a piece of advice Urahara-san. Do not try to conduct trials on Shirosaki. He tends to overreact and for the sake of your own health and shop, I would strongly suggest not to get him riled-up."

Urahara noticeably paled. To deal with an agitated Hollow was disturbing enough, but to have on top of that an angry Quincy who was ready to obliterate him at a moments notice must be even worse. His intellectual mind, however was not resting and caught a microscopic detail. During the entire conversation related to the past, Shirosaki was not mentioned. Yet, he had reacted as though he had seen the events with his own eyes. What kind of connection was hidden behind this case? How did a Quincy and Hollow come to a mutual agreement? What was he missing? He was driving himself insane with all the unanswered questions. Nonetheless, he used his fan to cover his face, only to start waving it around once more.

"Ma, ma. I would never do something like that to an unwilling _victim_ … I mean **_participant_** , of course. How are we going to deal with Shirosaki-san's tasks then?"

Ossan looked back and forth between Shirosaki and the Shinigami disguised as a regular human.

"I would like to keep Shirosaki with me at least for this first job. His talents and expertise will be very useful. Especially when traveling."

Soken additionally added on a whim.

"In regards to the little Lady, you should not worry. Our household is aware of at least part of the situation and we have already initiated a way to prevent her detection. There will be no need for Shirosaki-san to watch over her."

Shirosaki was relieved. He was saved, for now. Urahara graciously conceded defeat. He would find another opportunity to work on the unusual hybrid.

Yoruichi stretched her cat form, took the beige device before addressing everyone.

"In that case, Kisuke put this thing on me and I will be on my way."

Urahara complied and before long Yoruichi was gone. Ossan took the three pieces for his group and bid his farewells. The still baffled Urahara grabbed his hat while thinking.

 _'Things are about to get exciting. I should call the others and let them know of a new 'friend' they could meet. I am simply dying to see their reactions.'_

With those thoughts still in mind, the wicked mastermind gave a meaningful look to his friend and assistant. Tessai-san stood up to clear the table and grab a phone for his Tenchou which Urahara gladly accepted.

"A very good morning Shinji-san. It has been a while. I have some interesting news."

* * *

Jugram Haschwalth dressed in his white Sternritter uniform was walking among the endless corridors which made the icy fortress Silbern. He was on his way to the throne room with the latest updates. Robert Accutrone was still in Yokohama along with Bazz-B. There were no traces of the girl or any indications that she was among the living. Once at the double door, he politely knocked alerting the person inside of his arrival.

"Come in." came the usual muffled voice.

He opened the doors with a small amount of reiatsu and greeted the man who was pacing around the room.

"Soren-sama."

He was interrupted by the masked man.

"I hope you bring good news."

Haschwalth merely continued looking at the other without any hints of emotion.

"I regret to inform that the search so far has yielded no new clues. We are about to resume the pursuit by sending all available parties to all residences belonging to the Kurosaki household. As for the unexpected reiatsu felt this morning, it has been established it was caused due to a fight between a Shinigami and Hollow. The result was the demise of both sides."

Soren was not pleased, not at all. His plan to obtain the girl and the gem was not moving smoothly. On top of that, now Shinigami were getting killed by Hollows. He would have to expedite creating spies within Shinigami officers. The few he had at hand, needed more time to finish the Academy. He could use one of them and send the victim to a bar in Seireitei. Those guys liked their Sake, if he was to force his infected subject in one of the locals' the higher ranked Shinigami frequented, he could easily gain at least one seated officer. He nearly forgot all about Haschwalth. Looking in his general direction he spoke with a calm and collected tone.

"I see. We must avoid any contact with the Shinigami. We wouldn't want them to find out we are here attempting to free our King. Make sure all those in the World of the Living are informed accordingly. Alert me as soon as Lady Masaki is found. In the meantime, I will try to infiltrate Seireitei. I will try once again to attain more data on the location of the seal, in case the little lady has memory loss."

Haschwalth continued to blankly stare at the other man. No matter how much time passed and how convincing Soren's words were, Haschwalth had never liked the guy. He wished they had at least the Denka. It would be so much more pleasant and easier had they not lost the boy. Not for the first time, he had to repress the urge to slaughter the man hiding behind that material. The only reason he did not, was his memory of Lady Masaki. Her devotion and love had been Soren's only saving grace.

Haschwalth took a deep inaudible breath, bowed and was about to leave.

"A moment of your time Haschwalth. How is it going with the recruitment?"

Haschwalth turned around to face the Regent.

"Nothing new since the last report Mr. Accutrone gave you, Sir. We have suspended the quest of Ishida Soken for the benefit of appointing more men toward the search for Lady Masaki."

Soren could hide his features all he wanted, but the surprise in his voice was unmistakable.

"Ishida? What about him? Did we not already enlist his service half a year ago?"

Haschwalth would have wanted nothing more than to laugh at the incompetence of the so-called _Regent_. His Majesty would have known even without being informed. That's the kind of man Heika was, he had everything under control. To see such poor skills, brought a rather large amount of satisfaction to the Quincy.

"Actually Sir, the Head of the Ishida household, Ishida Soken, is missing for the past two months. We were all under the impression he was merely around Wandenreich. However, after analyzing the circumstances, we have come to the conclusion that the man has either been killed within our own ranks or simply disappeared. Any info we had on the Ishida's is missing as well. Therefore, we now have absolutely no material regarding the family members past or present. We also lack any information related to the properties which may have belonged to the mentioned household."

Soren was about to explode. Cursed Quincies! That was exactly why he needed his own scouts. He had the feeling the Quincies in Wandenreich did not approve of him, a Shinigami, to be their leader. Well, a Shinigami-Hollow hybrid, but no one knew that little secret. The only one who found out was, thankfully, dead. Stupid kid and his idiotic orange mane. Should not have poked his nose where it did not belong. Oh, wait. Nope, that was totally Soren's own fault. He had hated the child from the moment it was born. By marring Masaki, he was supposed to be the next in line for the crown and not that scrawny little thing. Heh, good riddance. The Quincy in the room was looking at him with a funny expression. Oh, yeah! He had to get someone in trouble.

"How come I was not notified of this change before?"

Haschwalth had to fight real hard to prevent a smile from spreading all over his face. This was the second time that day the mighty Soren- _sama_ had lost track of time due to his failures.

"Lord Soren, Mr. Accutrone was the one to inform you on the day we have received the report from the unit sent to apprehend Lady Masaki. Until that moment we were collecting evidence assuring the accuracy of the report. You do know we are extremely meticulous with the information we provide you with."

Soren did not need to know that Haschwalth himself had deliberately slowed down the research squadron. He had been very fond of Soken-san in both his past and current lifetime. A brilliant man with vast capabilities. A shame he did not appreciate the new methods and systems developed by the Quincy. Of course, Haschwalth had been aware the very moment Soken-san left Wandenreich. If he was correct, Soken-san took with him one of the portal devices. He took it as his personal duty to make sure no one found that little detail out. It was also thanks to his 'logic' that many believed the man was lying dead somewhere within the Wandenreich. For some unknown reason, Haschwalth was positive his Majesty would have approved of his actions. Thus, he kept quiet and did everything he could to subtly hinder Soren's operations.

Soren on the other side of the room was trying to remember the conversation with Robert. There were many things said on that day, but he could not remember for the love of him anything about the Ishida. He knew he could not show any weakness in front of the Grandmaster or lack of proper knowledge. He decided to simply put the matter aside and do his private investigation with his future mini-spies.

"Right. With all of the ongoing errands, it must have slipped my mind. Yes, that is right, Robert did notify me. The data was probably attached to the Family Head. In cases where there are no heirs left behind, the intel disappears with the death of the last living member. It is only reasonable to conclude Ishida-san has unfortunately departed. There will be no need to waste our resources on a deceased associate. Please proceed with the previous assignments, those being: Lady Masaki to be brought here, the Shinigami to be avoided at all costs and please have as many troops start looking through all the abodes which belonged to the Kurosaki's."

Haschwalth nodded and lightly bowed. Once outside the throne room he huffed a quick breath. That had gone much smoothly than he had anticipated. He knew Accutrone did not inform the Regent about the Ishida case. He was able to cover Soken-san's departure. With the privileges granted as the Grandmaster, he had been able to access and erase all intelligence on the household. Naturally, he did retain a personal copy in case that Soken-san resulted to be a traitor. But he doubted that very much. In case that he had been wrong, he would personally take care of the issue.

Pulling out of his jacket's right inner pocket the regular communicator, he passed the new orders around to all units. Once he felt Soren had left Wandenreich, he went to his private room where he promptly locked himself in. There was something bothering him. The picked-up reiatsu from that morning had felt familiar. Too familiar. Not many would know or remember, but he did. After all, who best judge than himself? He, who had felt that power with his own body. That tinge of power, the thrilling sensation, that succulent caress it emitted. He was certain it belonged to their lost King.

The room was pretty plain. A bed with a white velvet cover decorated with a large golden star in its middle was located at the left corner, along with a powder white colored double-sided closet. The usually large and long Gothic style window was covered by thick cotton frost colored curtains. The walls and floors were all painted in a dusty pearly white shade.

The most prominent piece of furniture was the hand carved white wooden office desk with gold plated designs which took the middle of the room. Along with a matching chair. The desk was made of birch wood with enough drawers to satisfy a bigger office. Each drawer contained files on the activities related to Silbern and the Wandenreich.

He gently placed his left hand underneath the table top while the right was on the rightmost corner. A small dose of his reiatsu was all it took to open a secret compartment at the location of his left hand. He pulled out a personally developed transmitter. There were very few people he trusted. Due to inexpiable reasons, his long-time impulsive and reckless friend Bazzard was one of those rare individuals. Must be because they have known each other since they were infants. Robert Accutrone and handful of others were reliable, but that none were on the same as Bazz-B.

He tapped the device three times on the front part and once to the side. It did not take long for his friends' obnoxious voice to come from the machinery.

"Yo Jugo. News travels fast or have you forgotten I also have the regular receiver?"

Typical Bazz-B.

"It is nice to hear you too Bazzard. And yes, I am aware you have the other communicator as well. Am I right to say you lowered its recording volume to the minimum, subsequently preventing our conversation from being overheard?"

"Yeah, yeah mister smarty pants. I did and I even made sure I was not followed. So? What do you want?"

Haschwalth became slightly more serious, if the frown on his face was an indicator of his mood.

"Earlier, I was interrupted by one of the lesser soldiers, which in turn prevented me from asking you more direct questions. This morning… What are your thoughts on that reiatsu?"

On the other line it was obvious the other member was thinking hard if the humming noises heard over were used in consideration.

"You know I was never really good at distinguishing different reiatsu inputs. They all feel the same to me. But this one was a bit different. I can't put my finger on it, but there was something really weird. Why? Don't tell me you want me to go all the way back there?"

Haschwalth was more than satisfied. He was on the right track, if Bazzard, of all people, sensed an oddity. The problem would be to separate Bazz-B from the party involved in looking for Lady Masaki. He could always claim, he needed Bazzard to investigate a smaller house. Yes, there was the summer cottage. He concentrated on its location. Nothing. Perfect. He could already make the report that naught was found in that place, while giving Bazz free reign to wonder around in a supposedly solo mission. They were just ordered to allocate their men efficiently and for a small cottage a single Quincy was more than enough.

"I have a hunch which I would like to confirm. Can you make sure you are untraceable for some time? I will give you a faux mission to inspect a remote cottage, due to it's size it will be a one-man task. When you leave in the direction of the coordinates I will provide via the receiver, you will make sure to be undetected and instead go to a different place. I need you to go to the old castle."

He stopped to double check Bazzard was following his instructions.

"Are you thinking about the Royal Palace? Ok, how the hell do you intend to make that happen? Last time I checked, it's location was unknown. Heck, one of the first orders Soren had make was to find the castle. Only we couldn't do it remember? You said it was gone the moment the Shinigami captured his… Majesty…"

Haschwalth chuckled a bit.

"True, that is what I had said."

No sound was made by either male, until a snort followed by insane laughter erupted from an amused hot-headed world away.

"Jugo, you, sly fox. Don't tell me… That was… what do you call it? A _'misinformation'_ you gave to the high Lord Regent Soren-sama. Hah! Is it? HAHAHAHA! Jeez, I can't wait for the day you show him just how much you've been messing around with him."

"I have no clue as to what you are insinuating Bazzard." Was Haschwalth's stoic response, though on the inside he was smiling along with his friend.

"Yeah, yeah. You keep telling yourself that. Then? How do you want me to pass through whichever demonic craft you placed on the castle?"

Haschwalth hummed as though contemplating the idea.

"Hmm, I wonder. It was not my doing the palace became untouchable. I will give you the coordinates, once you get there let me know and we'll see."

Even more amusement could be heard coming from Bazz-B.

"Yeah, roger that. Just announce this new 'task' you want me to partake. By the way, what the hell am I looking for? You do remember the thing was huge. Should still be. Any idea as to what I've got to do there?"

Haschwalth was serious once again. He himself did not know what to expect. He just had this feeling in the pit of his stomach. If he could, he would leave and investigate himself, but he did not want to raise any suspicions. He would follow Soren because he was the reincarnation of the Denka's father. That did not mean he was trusted by default. On the contrary, that gave him even more of a reason not to fall for deceptions.

There was also the fact that in his previous life, Soren did not wear a mask. He had no need for it even when he first came to the Wandenreich and claimed the right to be Regent. Only the last few decades he started to put the cover. They were told he got injured during a mission and his face got disfigured so horribly he did not want anyone to have nightmares from seeing his face. The reiatsu was the same, so he had no doubts it was the same individual.

Heika's words during his studies echoed in his head: _'Never trust a man who wears a mask, for it only means the individual has learnt how to guise its true intentions from those around. Masks are worn by either manipulators or Hollows, neither proved to be good as of yet.'_

That was a lesson he had taken to heart before Shirosaki-san was enlisted as a bodyguard to the Denka. How the Hollow managed to gain his Majesty's favor, remained a secret to this day. Not only that, Shirosaki-san was presented to all servants and Quincy as a mere human with unusual powers. Heika and Denka had worked extremely hard to conceal the Hollow's reiatsu which any Quincy worth its title could perceive. It had been yet another mystery he still had to crack. His reminiscence of the past was broken from Bazz-B. Who was relentlessly calling his name.

"Sorry Bazz. I got lost in thoughts. To be frank, I am not sure what to expect or what to find. I just have this urge to be there. Unfortunately, since I am supposed to keep the façade of the loyal dog in front of Soren, I can't go there myself. That's why I want you to go in my place. I can hope that whatever is plaguing my mind, will become clear once we get there. And by that, I mean you. Keep me posted. I will make the announcement shortly along with the details of where each group will be sent."

Bazzard grunted, but agreed and turned the transmitter off, while Haschwalth hid his in the imperceptible inner left pocket of the jacket. He had personalized the coat, so if he was spotted placing an object in his inner pocket it would be mistaken for the regular communicator.

"It's about time I make the needed arrangements."

He opened one of the drawers to his right side and pulled out a laptop. He quickly searched through all the intel related to the Kurosaki's and prepared a plan of action, assuring Bazzard would be undisturbed. Once all was prepared, he took out the regular receiver and passed the orders around. He had a long day ahead of him and it was not even noon.

* * *

Having left the shop and its occupants behind, Ossan was deep in thoughts. They were supposed to get near Bazzard Black without raising suspicions from other Quincies. The task would certainly not be an easy one, especially if they did travel in a group. Although, something told him it would be better to try something else.

He was brought back to the present only when they reached the town's park. Shirosaki had taken the lead ad brought them to the same place he had opened his Garganta the day before. Had they had the time, Ossan would have gladly spent more time. It was such a lovely day. Shirosaki sent him a questioning look. Had he been unsure the Hollow had read him like a book, Shirosaki's words confirmed his speculation.

"So, where to Ossan? Call me crazy, but I have the feeling we won't be going to Yokohama. Have you had enough time to work out what you want to do?"

Ossan lowered his head in a half nod.

"We are yet to pay _that_ place a visit. Would you agree it was about time we change it?"

Shirosaki chuckled, displaying confidence. He too was itching to go **_there_** again.

"Sure! It's been…what? About nine hundred years? Give or take a few decades… Meh, more or less. Who counts?"

With a flick of his wrist a Garganta opened beside him. He got in and gestured for Ossan to enter along with a stunned Soken. Their quiet companion had never, not in his wildest dreams, thought he would be so lucky to see a Garganta up close. Traveling or using one had never crossed his mind. Begin the ever-perceptive Hollow of their group, Shirosaki easily guessed Soken's train of thoughts.

"Come on Soken-san. There is a first time for everything. At the very least I can assure you my way of traveling is much nicer compared to the freakish shadows you hunters use."

At those spoken words Ossan barely suppressed the snicker that wanted to escape his lips.

"I hate to say this, especially since shadow traveling is my invention. However, this time Shirosaki is undeniably right. When we enter this remarkable black void, which connects parts of Hueco Mundo with the World of the Living, we are to do but one thing. Gather reishi and create a walking path. Shirosaki will take care of the direction and we follow."

Soken was once again left astounded. For Heika to willingly give such reassurance… These were, indeed, strange times. Change was prominent on the horizon. All things considered, it appeared to be for the better. He joined his companions and was surprised to see a long stable and solid platform. Shirosaki in the lead and guiding them to their next journey. Soken realized he had been so surprised that he forgot to ask where they were going.

* * *

 _Hehe. I too wonder, where the hell am I sending those three?_

 _^ . ^_

 _Thank you for reading. I hope I managed to put a smile on your faces and, if just for a moment, made you forget about any chores, duties or troubles which are the most common parts of our lives :3_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	20. Chapter 20

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Chapter XX_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! And if you don't like, please don't hate too much :3_

So happy this story is so well liked. Thanks for everyone who is favors and follows this little trip of mine. And a big shout out to all who reviewed, continue to review and may leave a little inspirational push in the future :3

* * *

 _Chapter XX_

In Soul Society gossip and rumors spread like wildfire. No one cared whether the information was accurate or not, it was considered irrelevant or a minor inconvenience as long as they had something to talk about besides duties and work. Even so, the death of a Shinigami at the hands of a Hollow was always an interesting affair. Some blamed the rookies' inexperience, while others tried to find the culprit in their own ways.

When the female member of squad thirteen was brought in for interrogation, many brought up stories and created their own versions of what happened in the World of the Living. Her release triggered an even bigger scandal. To say the girl was devastated from all the false accusation would be underestimating the length of emotional abuse she had gone through in just a few days. Returning to her squad, she had received support from her Taichou*, colleagues and teammates. Yet it was not enough. The constant pokes and strikes at the wrong allegations were becoming too much to handle.

Bullying was not acceptable among the **Gotei** 13\. Those who oppressed another Shinigami with no reason were commonly punished. Though, due to their lack in numbers, these tyrants would face minimal penalties. Mostly, they would be placed under house arrest for a certain period of time with no salary. Not the greatest penalty, as it did not prevent for their anger to be passed among those who would visit for a chat. Before long, the innocent soul was brought down to her knees from the continuous onslaught at a badly done job. Resignation was impossible. Once you became a full-fledged Shinigami there was no such thing as retirement, unless you wanted a one-way ticket to the Maggots' Nest.

 **Taichou** Ukitake Jushiro saw the level of stress his subordinate was constantly enduring. There was not much he could do, since the perpetrators were not members of his squad. However, he was not known to be a quitter. He went through the girls' history and her strengths, soon noticing she had an affinity in the arts of Kido. Using the data to its full advantage he approached the Captain of the Kido Corps, suggesting for his member to be transferred in their unit. It was a blessing that he was among the most respected captains in Seireitei. His request fulfilled, the girl safe within the protection and veneration that was given to Kido Masters.

This change saved the girls' life. Moved away from the cause of tension she bloomed once more and became a proud and strong member of the Kido Corps. There she was treated in the same manner as any other person learning the art. Outside his squad, she would have forever been branded as the Shinigami who was investigated for a crime she did not commit.

A Taichou meeting was scheduled to finalize the needed steps and city assignments. The meeting dragged on forever, but ended with various changes. Many towns were allocated to a different squad than before. One of the most surprising news, was that Squad Ten would be responsible for Narukishi city, while Karakura remained under Ukitake Taichou's leadership. It was confirmed that two Shinigami would be appointed to some cities due to the increase in Hollow activity. Karakura and Narukishi being two of six to which said rule applied. Many were baffled at the information that stronger Hollows were coming in certain areas and higher than usual Hollow attacks. The Captain of Squad Two and Leader of the Special Forces was tasked to investigate what was causing this phenomenon.

None of the Taichou had noticed that they had been overheard. Not that they could, since the eavesdropping scoundrel was on the opposite side of the wall. A black cat was outside the window of Squad One's assembly room. Had anyone noticed the animal, they would have just ignored it as it behaved as expected of a feline. Lying on the grass under a beam of Sunlight. It was certainly nothing out of the ordinary. It would never cross anyone's mind that the creature was a spy in disguise. As the meeting finished, the cat stretched and was gone by the blink of an eye, leaving no traces behind or any indication that it was there just seconds ago.

Yoruichi was pleased, she had gathered all that she had wanted to know. She did not like the idea of the **Onmitsukidō** * going around the World of the Living, but it would not be that bad if they were to send them to Hueco Mundo. She had high hopes her pupil would send two parties to both worlds. Since she had the ear-piece, she knew Kisuke was already aware, thus, she did not feel any worry. They would have to improve everyone's gigai. A walk in the park by Kisuke's standards. Seeing she was already here, Yoruichi decided to snoop around and see what else she could find out.

* * *

In a forest at the outskirts of Karakura, a black void appeared out of nowhere. From the darkness came out three individuals, one of them with a large smile on his pale features. Soken-san's face through the ride had been simply delicious, full of amazement, curiosity and a tiny bit of trepidation. All in all, a journey through a Garganta could be described as an out of this world experience for hunters. They did not get many opportunities to see, much less be _inside_ one.

Looking around, Shirosaki filled his lungs to the brim with fresh air. So many memories were tied to this particular place. Most importantly, it was somewhere within this precise woodland that he had met his Ichigo for the first time. Back then, the little tyke was about nine, running from who knows what and he just happened to stumble upon Barragan's Hollows, who had the task to capture Shirosaki. At first, Shirosaki was ready to escape and put even more distance between himself and his pursuers since he was injured and all. When he heard the scream of a child reverberate thought the trees something made him pause.

Living in Hueco Mundo and being chased around teaches you the ruthless rules of 'Survival of the fittest'. It was not the first time an innocent life was lost for someone else's benefit. Even so, for whichever unknown reason, Shirosaki could not go forward after hearing that cry. Instead he turned and decided to help. A fond smile graced Shirosaki's face at the memory that in the end it was Shirosaki himself who got saved. He who went to the rescue, ended up needing help. To this day, he had no idea how the tiny kid wiped away the leftover Adjucha class Hollows.

That was also the first time he had met Ossan. Shirosaki would never, ever, admit to anyone, not even himself, but meeting the Quincy King had been the most terrifying experience of his life. Hell, Quincies were and are avoided because once they shoot you, there is no going back. It's not like with Shinigami who 'purge' Hollows and they get a chance at reincarnation, Quincy completely destroyed the soul. Once dead, that was it, you were lost for all eternity. When the bleeding boy he held in his hands returned to his senses and called the Quincy Monarch _'Grandpapa'_ , Shirosaki was not sure if he should feel frozen or relieved. He was spared that day only because the little imp woke up on time. Any later and Shirosaki would have been turned into an arrow filled pincushion.

Shirosaki turned to look at the other two males behind him. A knowing smirk on his face at seeing Ossan's expression.

 _'Figures. He too is going through time.'_

Soken was the first to speak up.

"Heika, this place… Where are we? It kind of feels familiar, though I am sure I have never been here before."

Ossan sent Soken an interested look. He thought for a little while. Chances are Soken is sensing the light hum of reishi from a forgotten time.

"This forest will guide us to the main entrance of the Royal Palace. The whole zone is rich in reiatsu and reishi remains from past times. It is not so improbable for you to get an unusual vibe. After all, the castle could be considered the birthplace of our race. A long time ago, the palace was also the center of a grand kingdom. I was not given the title of King solely for having bestowed Quincies with the gift and power against Hollows. We used to rule over a magnificent Empire, sadly it is no more. My imprisonment lead to a devastating chain reaction which brought the downfall of a great Nation as well as the tumble of our Kind."

Having finished his explanation, Ossan took the lead and guided Soken and Shirosaki toward their destination. Shirosaki looked at each crevice with enthusiasm and knowing glances. Needless to say, the forest brought many pleasant memories. The fun he had with a certain _'protector'_.

Ichigo and Shirosaki had spent all the free time they had available in exploring every inch of the large woodlands surrounding the castle. All three of them! The one they were using now brought to the palace and had nothing spectacular, besides the mother of all barriers. Then there were the two beyond the royal gardens. Between the Summer and Knowledge tower was the 'park' and training garden, while in the space separating the Polar and Blossom fortification stood the plantation garden.

Personally, Shirosaki's most-liked was the forest outside of the training grounds. While roaming around the well-known paths, Ichigo entrusted him with his favorite site a hidden small heaven. He was told that when Ichigo wanted a bit of privacy or to simply feel free it was there he would venture to. Subsequently, if he felt down or did not want to be found by the overbearing staff, he would always go to the oasis. Which became **_their_** secret paradise. Not even Ossan knew about it. One of the few things they had not shared with anyone. It belonged to them and them alone!

Soken could see mischievous and somewhat playful smiles on Shirosaki's face. He was sure he would never cease to be surprised by the Hollows behavior. Looking at his Majesty, he could tell the other was deep in thoughts. Probably absorbed by his past. A notion crossed his own mind. The man before him was without a doubt Heika. The Emperor knows Shirosaki-san more or less since the ruler was appointed as their King. If that is the case, how come they do not appear any older than a male in his early or mid-thirties and a young man around twenty? The collapse of the realm occurred over nine hundred years ago, soon to reach a thousand years. Graceful maturing? Or was it something else? He would never give the two more than two hundred years by Shinigami standards. Three hundred would be pushing too much.

Soken was stopped by a light pull of his shoulder. Gazing at the hand, he concluded it had been the Hollow who brought him out of his musing. Looking at Shirosaki-san, he was confused that the other was not sparing him even a glance. Instead the Hollow dedicated his whole attention to something in front of them. Watching ahead, he became even more bewildered at the view of a motionless Heika. Either than the older man, there was nothing around that warranted attention. They were still amidst plants and vegetation.

"Your Majesty. May I inquire as to why we have suddenly stopped?"

Shirosaki at his side snorted in amusement and answered the question instead of his companion.

"Hush now Soken-san. Ossan is a little busy bringing down the reiatsu wall surrounding this entire area. Nothing to worry, but it is better not to disturb him, just enjoy the show."

The poor sap was even more puzzled. A barrier? Where? For the love of him, he could feel and sense absolutely nothing. There was nothing in front of them, just an endless trail of dirt, grass and trees. He stared and stared, he extended his senses to the fullest and still got naught for all his efforts.

Several minutes later there was a small change. It was like a curtain being slowly raised at a theater. What greeted his wise eyes, was a sight he would remember for as long as he lived. A magnificent palace overgrown by vines and different types of flora. Even in its rundown condition it demanded respect and veneration. Soken had read the old tomes and stories about the Royal Castle, but written documents paled in comparison to reality. Such a masterpiece could never be accurately described. He could not recall the last time he stared at something open-mouthed. Though, he was not even aware of having his mouth wide open.

Shirosaki on the other hand, did see and was having a battle with himself. To tell or to remain silent and enjoy a little longer. Decisions, decisions. He opted to let it be for as long as it would, not that it could last as Ossan took that moment to turn around.

"Here we are, the Royal Palace. Let us move along now, we have much to explore and search through. Although, I doubt we will have to look for much. I was assuming we would get to meet up with Haschwalth. Nevertheless, considering he is being detained in Wandenreich, I am not surprised. I do, however, expect he will send someone trustworthy in this direction. All we have to do is wait and see. In the meantime, Shirosaki and I had in mind to check the castle for any clues to the situation at hand. The protection ward should not have let anyone in. However, I would like to be certain. This is also the reason I took the transmitters Urahara-san gave us and hid them away. I desire for this place to remain untraceable and undiscovered. Therefore, I do not wish any information to be passed to Urahara-san. In case we do encounter anyone, it won't be an issue to take them outside the barrier and deal with them there. So far, the intel Urahara-san will receive is the approximate location and nothing else. Now then, shall we?"

He did not wait for a response and moved with all the poise of a noble returning to his home. Soken chose to stay at the Emperor's side.

"Oi Ossan! Mind if we separate for a bit? There are a few places I'd like to visit."

Shirosaki's voice had been surprisingly soft and solemn, as though the mere idea of seeing certain parts of the amazing structure could bring up the dead from their graves. It was such a tone that brought chills on Soken's skin. It was a new side to the Hollow, he had yet to see.

Ossan had an inkling to where Shirosaki was headed. There was one peculiar place he had never investigated at Ichigo's request. There had been many occasions when he could not find either Ichigo or Shirosaki. He had presumed the two must have created a space to be left alone. The fascinating thing was that at times it was either only Ichigo or only Shirosaki missing. Whenever Ichigo was gone, Shirosaki seemed to be the only one to know exactly where to locate him and bring him back. Thus, he did promise his Ichigo he would never worry too much. He also gave his word not to send any other search parties for him, besides Shirosaki, as long as he was last felt within the castle grounds.

Ossan nodded his head in agreement and moved forward with Soken at his side. Shirosaki stood on the same spot until he could not see either of the two and only then moved through the gardens. He wanted to go back to that piece of heaven. It was the place where he buried one of Ichigo's uniforms. Since Ichigo shattered into reishi particles, there had been no body to entomb. So, he went along with a substitute of sorts. For Ossan's sake, he took another outfit and together they let it drop at sea. Ichigo had been fond of seas and oceans and that lead them to imagine they buried his body where he would be surrounded by an endless body of water.

He was going to pay respect to his beloved in the same spot they had been the happiest. Where they had shared all their good and bad experiences… The very same patch of green where Shirosaki had been proven he too possessed a hearth.

* * *

It was official, Bazzard Black despised going in circles. He was given his 'new' mission and he already hated it. Not so much because of having to check a place no one knew where it was anymore, but because he had to go all the way back to that city. Fine, he did use Hirenkyaku at it did not took a lot of time. But he would have preferred if he could have just simply continued from that point. Instead he was told to go back to Yokohama, only to return here. Sheesh, why was this city so important? Meh, he would let Jugo figure things out, it turned out to be the easiest solution most of the time.

As per the coordinates, he was to venture even further down the town.

 _'Well, would you look at that a forest. Who would have guessed?! Really Jugo? This is where you send me?'_

Yes, he was venting his frustration with sarcasm. He couldn't just blow things up the way he normally would have enjoyed as that would alert the others of his real destination instead of the faux data they received. He spotted a nice opening within the otherwise dense vegetation and landed. Something was telling him it would be best if he was to continue on foot.

He continued on for what must have been ten to twenty minutes, until he reached the end of the road as per the directions Jugo gave him.

 _'Weird, according to Jugo there should be either nothing or the next town right about here. Why does it look like the forest is endless? This is so messed-up. Better give him a quick call.'_

Pulling the special transmitter meant for only Jugo, he made the sound signal hey had agreed upon, three taps at the front and one to the side. He knew he would have to wait for some time, after all they really did not want to risk getting caught. Not only would they lose points with their own associates, but all of Jugo's efforts to be seen as a loyal dog in front of Soren's eyes would have been in vain. Bazz-B could care less what the others or the Regent thought about him, but he would not get Jugo in trouble if he could avoid it.

He was distracted from the possible scenarios, by his friends' voice coming from the device.

"I see you made it. Anything significant to report?

Bazz-B snickered before responding.

"You never change do you Jugo? No 'how was your trip' or 'did you encounter trouble on the way' or any other shenanigans like that, huh? Straight to the point as usual. Well, I sure as hell am where you told me to go, but guess what? Maybe it's nothing, but your data is wrong. Heh, there is still quite a piece of woodland in front of me and unless I jump through space, there is no way I will reach the end any time soon. Do you have any idea as to what this is about now?"

He had to wait again. Was this getting old or what? He was finally graced with… you've guessed it right…not even a clue!

"It is rather odd. I expected many things, but not what you are saying. Can you sense anything at all?"

Bazzard was taken back by the question. He tried to feel anything, but to his surprise he could not get even one reading, not even an animals'.

"Oi Jugo. The hell is this place? I get nothing, zilch. Not a bird nor a rabbit."

Bazz-B would have bet his left hand, he had heard a scoff from the transmitter. Jugram Haschwalth was having fun. Since when did the bastard get to have fun at his expenses?! Before he could speak up his mind, he was deterred by the faster Jugo.

"Bazzard, move just ten steps ahead and tell me what happens."

Puzzled, but trusting his comrade's judgement, he did just that. Only after nine steps he could not proceed. Something invisible was blocking him.

"Oi Jugo, what the heck? I can't. There must be a barrier or some other freaky enchantment preventing me from making even one more step forward after nine. You better start explaining."

A humming noise preceded the reply.

"It is simple, you have found the field his Majesty had created to stop intruders form entering the Castle grounds. Good work. Would you mind searching around this area? There is a small chance we could find an opening or a weak link."

Bazz-B thought about it. It is true, after all these years it was possible the barricade was not as strong as it used to be, without the influence of the Emperor.

"Roger that Jugo. I'll call you back as soon as I have any new updates."

Hanging up on his accomplice, Bazzard walked backwards and was about to turn and walk away. He suddenly stopped when he felt a reiatsu. It was radiating from the invisible space. Right before his eyes, a passage was opening.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Looks like an open invitation. Could be a trap, but, meh, I like a challenge."

Bazzard passed through the opening to the familiar sight of the Royal Palace. What awaited him beyond the entrance yard, shocked him into silence, with his mouth wide open.

"Is this for real?"

* * *

Penetrating the wild forest was no easy task, but for a change, a welcomed assignment. The day was nice. If only he had a certain someone by his side, it would be perfect. A loud sigh left Shirosaki. He missed his Ichigo. It was days like these, the two would take off while pretending to go training.

Heh, they did end up more often than not fighting to keep each in shape. The battles always a true challenge, at all times pushing each other to their limits. Ichigo did mostly win, but every now and then Shirosaki would end up on top. Not that top you perverts, although, let it be known, he is not the type to bottom. That would never happen, period!

He finally saw what he had been looking for, a cave-like opening obscured by bushes. Pass the darkness of the cavern and you reached heaven. A large open green meadow with a huge deep blue lake in its middle surrounded by tall, thickly enclosed Japanese evergreen oaks. If that alone was not breathtaking enough, just a few paces from the lake stood a sole Japanese blue beech whose foliage changed depending on the time of the year.

It was peculiar how the only deciduous tree stood so far apart from the rest. Even so separated, it gallantly took its position and seemed to reach the skies above with its splendor. Soon summer would reach and make way to the colorful autumn. The lonely beech sapling would be the only one to change its colors and loose its leaves.

Shirosaki loved that time of the year solely because of the many hues the solitary tree displayed. The tint interchanged day to day, but sooner or later it vibrated with a variety of orange, red and yellow. Shirosaki used to joke that the tree flawlessly represented Ichigo. Luscious, full of passion and a fiery attitude to compliment the season's moods. It stood out in a 'crowd', but never wavered or backed down. Proud and defiant against all odds, piercing the very heavens if needed.

He himself was not one to talk. He too stood out like a sore thumb with his whiteness, weird eyes and blue tongue. Yes, not an appropriate look for a 'model' citizen. Yet somehow Ichigo made everything bearable and even pleasant. They ended up quarreling for half a day about whom the tree showcased more. When sunset came and hit the sap, they quietened down, amazed at the incredible sight. Needless to say, Shirosaki won the argument. The light fluctuation of branches caused by a breeze passing by, clearly illustrated Ichigo's hair color.

Shirosaki chuckled. That had been one of the first and rare disagreements they've had. It was also around the time he had taken the job as Ichigo's bodyguard. To think Ichigo believed in him so much from the very beginning made him feel fuzzy all over. He was glad no one was around to see that. He had a reputation to uphold.

That same day, Shirosaki demanded to know just why Ichigo had so much faith in him? Why deliberately trust a Hollow? Even before he took the career as guardian, roughly six years before he came to the palace, Ichigo had known Shirosaki's true nature. They did meet when the kid was nine. But even then, Ichigo had not labeled him a monster.

Ichigo said that no evil creature would go to rescue a child. When Shirosaki came to save him, even though he did sense the Hollow part of his powers, he knew he was different from those other Hollows. That alone was reason enough for a kid not to be afraid. Shirosaki had reasoned that not all monsters showed their true personality and the whole thing could have been one big fluke.

Ichigo, literally pushed him to the ground…the little prick… only to place the palm of his right hand onto, a blushing, Shirosaki's chest. With his left he took Shirosaki's right hand and set it on his own chest. Heartbeat. For the first time in his life, Shirosaki had listened to another person's heart. Ichigo told him that they both had a beating heart, if that was not proof enough, he would find more, would never stop until Shirosaki all but gave up on the idiotic idea of being a monster.

Shirosaki moved confidently among the prairie and came in front of the great tree. There was a mirror carved into the tree. It had been Ichigo who thought it would be a good option to set it there. There was a twin mirror in his chambers, that way the glass acted like a quick passage from Ichigo's room to this place and vice versa. Saved their skins so many times, when they were late for dinners or boring meetings.

Shirosaki glanced at the roots of the tree leading to the lake. The little dirt lump before his eyes made his heart ache. That is where he had laid 'Ichigo' to rest. He was already one with the water due to the burial he made with Ossan. But Shirosaki had wanted for a bit of Ichigo's spirit to be here as well. It was their special location. Ichigo once said that when he first came, he had felt like it was an alternate dimension. The reiatsu signature of those inside could not be felt outside of the zone. But conveniently enough, the two of them were able to sense anything that happened outside.

Looking at the little dirt bump, Shirosaki spoke out.

"Hey there Aibou. It's been a while, huh? Sorry I did not come here since… well… you know… Yeah, yeah, I'm not one to apologize just like that, but I want you to be aware I did not forget you. May not have talked aloud much… but I never stopped thinking about you… not like Ossan was any better. It's been rough, living on without you and your temper… Right… I'm not that different, am I? We used to bicker back and forth… Boy, I sure do feel the absence of all those moments… Most of all, I miss you. Our time spent together was the best time of my life. I so wish to have you back… To see you one more time… You know what? Your mom never changed. She persistently comes back with her cheerfulness and high-spirited attitude. Makes me jealous… She got so many reincarnations, but you did not get even one. Meh, you would chide me and say to take it easy on her since it was not her fault… I've got that you devilish imp. I guess I'm trying to be her friend. She's gone through a lot in the last few rebirths… Ossan has not changed much, at times he still behaves like a noble with a frozen pole stuck up where the Sun does not shine. Surprisingly, he defended me a little while ago. Totally unexpected, yet appreciated, I won't deny that… There are no more members to the Kurosaki's household and unless Ossan decides to create a new lineage, this will be your last opportunity at coming back like you promised. You better keep it up too! We've been away for far too long. If… if it's not possible, I'll understand. You did not know the full length of Soren's scheme… If you can't come back, will you at least wait for me a little longer? Soren is apparently back, the bastard. I will not let him do as he pleases. Therefore, until I can get rid of him, wait for me, ok?"

Shirosaki would have wanted to continue a bit longer, but the feel of someone's reiatsu made him hesitate. Why was that reiatsu familiar? Oh, right! It was the one from earlier in the morning, that Bazz what's his name Quincy. Haschwalth's lap dog or whatever.

"Heh. Guess Ossan was right again. Haschwalth must have sent him over. You know, Ossan is pretending not to be that wrung up about all the events, but he had a really bad nightmare. It was so bad that his reiatsu went out of control for a while. He is fine now, but he would be better if he could get you again… We both would… Oh well, I should be on my way to greet the new arrived hunter. Love to make them squirm, that too did not change. I'll see you soon again… weather it is in this or in the next life matters not… Love you…"

Shirosaki turned and left with a swift mix of Shunpo and Sonido, leaving with a booming buzz.

* * *

"Is this for real? I mean, come on! What kind of sick joke is this? If I remember, this is supposed to be Quincy _only_ residence. I went through all the trouble of getting here for what?! To be greeted by a… wait… what are you?"

Shirosaki had been so tempted to face palm at the hunters' late realization. His saving grace was the fact he had spent so much time with Ossan. Seriously, the guy needed to brighten up. He had presumed the dude would have learnt a thing or two since the last time they've seen each other. Well, it looks like some idiots remained stupid for the rest of eternity.

Giving the Quincy a level gaze, he soon broke into his trademark smile.

"And here I thought you would be happy to see me. Has your memory deteriorated so much, eh Bazz-B?" Shirosaki was delighted at having finally recalled the others name.

"Should I refresh it with a spar? We used to head-buts frequently. Maybe it will serve to kick some sense into that thick skull of yours."

Bazzard was speechless… again. Those eyes, that wicked smirk, the arrogance that spoke 'you can't touch me'… A click fell in place and he remembered. There was only one person who looked like that, so much like the orange headed Denka.

"I never thought I would see you here Shirosaki! Came back to life to get your ass handed over? You sure talk big for a little twig."

Shirosaki took no offence. On the contrary, he was itching for a good fight. On the plus side, Bazz was under the impression he had been reborn. Perfect. Simply marvelous. He would use that to his advantage and beat him seven ways into next week.

"Yeah, got a bump on the head a while ago and remembered my past. We sure had lots of fun. Especially me, when I would send you to the recovery wing."

A tick formed on Bazzard's forehead.

"Think you can beat me? As difference from you lowly human scum, I've lived on and only got better. I'll mess up that white ass of yours it will be blue for two months!"

The two got in fighting positions. Well, more like Bazz got in a battle-ready pose. Shirosaki was fine with just standing there and waiting for Bazzard's move. They never fought with anything more than their own fists and this time would not be different.

Just as Bazz was about to yell at Shirosaki to get in gear, the front entrance opened revealing Ossan and Soken. For the third time that day, Bazzard was astonished, eyes bulging out and mouth gaping open. He soon got back to his sense and got down to his right knee, bowing to the man he recognized… the man he had respected. He looked up, still unbelieving.

"He…Heika! Is it really you? When did you return? How did you manage to set free from the seal? How come you are not in Wandenreich?"

Ossan raised his right hand in a motion that demanded silence, which was immediately granted.

"I would prefer we take things inside Bazzard Black. Come along now, we have been expecting your arrival. Shirosaki, your match will have to be postponed for a later time."

Ossan made sure to give Shirosaki a knowing look, reassuring he had overheard the conversation. How could anyone miss it? The two were loud enough to be heard for miles away. Thankfully, he had closed the barrier as soon as Bazzard passed through. Something the youngster had completely overlooked. He went ahead with Soken at his side. The two had spent their time preparing one of the rooms for an adequate conversation.

Shirosaki shadowed the two, followed by a puzzled Bazz-B. Oh, Shirosaki was loving every second of the situation. If he was lucky enough, before the day ended, he would get the chance to let off some steam by pummeling the hot-headed Quincy to the ground.

They passed the main entrance and went toward the back, where they reached the inner garden. It was used for meal times as well as for afternoon snacks and tea time when the weather permitted. Moving further, the four reached the Main Tower and entered the foyer with an already set-up table and chairs. There were stairs leading to the upper levels, but it would appear Ossan wanted to conduct their business in the open lobby. Smart decision, as they could easily see everything around them and the air was definitely fresher than what they could expect upstairs seeing the palace had not been in use all these centuries.

Ossan had already instructed Soken with his plans on keeping some information hidden from Bazzard. One of the many details, was the fact that Shirosaki was a Hollow, as well as their long time spent together while searching for the Haldister pieces.

Once everyone took their seats, Ossan started the conversation.

"Now then, as you have correctly assumed I have returned. But not from my confinement. I am but a fragment of the sealed Emperor. For the past centuries, I've been roaming around gathering strength. Unfortunately, it is not on par with the power I had as the vast majority remains sealed away along with my physical body. Therein, lies my decision to not visit the Wandenreich. Another simple reason is because I have been recently made aware that a traitor is leading the Quincy."

Shirosaki paid close attention, pretending to not know much more than the invited Bazz-B. He also took notice of the small changes to the story. He knew Ossan would have confided the full story to Haschwalth, but no one else. Haschwalth would be able to figure out on his own by the crumble of bread fed to his friend.

Bazzard's mind had been blown up to nothingness. There were no mistakes. This individual was the Heika, his reiatsu was more than enough proof for the ill-tempered man. He understood why the reiatsu that opened the portion of the barricade had felt familiar. It had belonged to his Majesty. Oh, Haschwalth would be so furious at having missed this chance.

"Pardon my rudeness Heika. But could you tell me who the traitor is? We will serve you his head on a silver plate in no time at all."

It did not escape Ossan's intellectual mind how Bazzard had insinuated the traitor to be male.

"I am sure you have a suspicion as to who the culprit is, am I right?"

Bazzard smiled. Just as he had expected form the Emperor, nothing got pass him.

"Yes. Jugo and I are under the impression that Soren is up to no good. He came to the Wandenreich about a hundred years ago to claim his right to the position of Regent. He did get it as everyone remembers his connection with Lady Masaki. But in recent years, he has been wearing a mask which conceals his face from sight. He claims it was a necessity as he was disfigured while on a mission. Jugo is sure it's the same person. But ever since he was appointed Regent, we've faced a lot of issues. For one, man Quincy bloodlines have gone missing, another are his orders to 'remove' anyone who is not interested in joining us. There is also the fact he is obsessed with finding Lady Masaki's reincarnation. He stated that she is the…"

"The key to unseal me. Or at the very least she would guide you to my resting location."

Had Bazz-B had any doubts whatsoever, they were all rendered to dust. Just like in the old times, Heika was always on top of the game. This is how a ruler should be, knowledgeable and capable. Nothing like that pig-faced Soren.

"Yes, exactly. It did not sit well with neither Jugo nor I. However, with no other leads, everyone believes the only found member of the Royal family."

Ossan had known all this and much more. It was not surprising.

"I am aware Haschwalth is stranded. He cannot leave Wandenreich, else he would have come here. Is there any possibility I could communicate with him? At the moment there is little we can do as Soren is not the only one causing problems. There is a Shinigami who is experimenting on other Shinigami and sending them to the Living World to test them out. Apparently, he got his hands on an artifact of enormous power and is planning on becoming the Sovereign of all worlds. We must do everything we can to stop him as there is a high probability he will use Quincies for his next batch. Not only that, Soren and this individual share a common goal. To rule over all. The true motive behind Masaki's apprehension resides in the fact that, in her past life, she had the knowledge to the location of a similarly strong item. Soren has been after it and incriminated the Shinigami for the loss of the Denka. Simultaneously, he framed Quincies for crimes they did not commit against Shinigami and started the grand war between our two kinds."

Bazzard was having a hard time keeping-up with the barrage of data. He pulled out the custom-made transmitter and gave the signal to Haschwalth to connect.

"Heika, the device I have in my hands was specially made by Jugo. No one besides the two of us can trace it or hear the conversation. We also have a special code implemented to avoid being seen when we want to use it. I just contacted him, he should respond soon."

All went quiet and waited with a bit of tremor. Ossan was barely containing his enthusiasm. If he could talk to Haschwalth in private, they would have the upper hand.

"What news do you have Bazzard? Please tell me you found something relevant."

Ossan contained the smirk that wanted to grace his features. Bingo.

"Good afternoon Haschwalth. It is good to hear you are doing fine."

Silence fell upon all present, broken by the nearly inaudible words coming from the little mechanism.

"…Heika…?"

* * *

In the shadows of Seireitei a cloaked man was roaming around. Soren's plan, for once, had been a great success. Manipulating one of the infected kids from the Academy had been a piece of cake. He did lose that specimen, but gained a total of nine seated officers. The best part was that they were from different squads: four from Squad Eleven, three from the Seventh, and one from squads' Five and Eight.

A shame he had such a large number from the Eleventh, all brawn and no brains. He doubted he would ever gather anything useful from them. On the other hand, they tended to fight and once he would require more underlings he could use those cretins to contaminate more Shinigami. Alcohol was a major weakness these fools shared in common and it would not raise much suspicion if it was found that members of Squad Eleven attacked others just for being wasted by the liquors sweet nectar.

Soren was hoping one or more of the tainted souls would get an assignment to the Living World. That would be perfect as he now had nine moles who were not even aware of being his puppets. Yes, the day turned night had been rewarding. He now knew for sure that an incident did happen in Karakura. The overconfident sap forgot to consider the time the event took place. Had he been just a tidbit more attentive to details he would have noticed that the attack transpired a few days ago instead of that morning. His joy at having nine Shinigami under his control was enough to cloud his common sense. He moved along, avoiding any passersby. With his main task completed, he would return to the Wandenreich and, for a change, sleep peacefully. Finally, his plotting was moving along. Masaki and the orb would be his for the taking. He would forcefully take over all in the World of the Living and while at it, he may want to start including Soul Society as well.

* * *

 _^ . ^ :3 ^ . ^_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 _For those who may need a refresher:_

 ** _Gotei_** _13 = 13 Court Guard, just the Japanese version of how the organization is called._

 ** _Maggots Nest_** _= a jail hidden in one of the properties of Squad two and under the Special Forces regimen. All those Shinigami found to be a possible threat to the peace of Soul society are brought here to rot away._

 ** _Taichou_** _= Japanese for Captain. Later down the story we will have **Fuku-taichou** which stands for Lieutenant._

 ** _Onmitsukidō_** _=Japanese version for the Special Military Forces under Squad 2_

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	21. Chapter 21

_Hello everyone! Hope you are all fine and ready for a new adventure :D_

 _Chapter XXI_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 _ **Friendly reminder**_ _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC._ _ **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea**_ _:) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 _ **Disclaimer**_ _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 _ **WARNINGS**_ _:_ _Spoiler alert_ _for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime!_ _Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Dedicating this lovely chapter Aeilene and Martyna1. Your reviews truly motivated me to finalize this one. It also gave me inspiration for a little game I added somewhere along the lines. Thank you all for your continuous support. It's official, this story can now be considered adult and of age in most countries in the world. I believe there are only a few places where you are a grown-up only at 26 or 27. But that is too much in my humble opinion xD

* * *

 _Chapter XXI_

* * *

Aizen Sosuke was calmly walking through Seireitei. After the meeting, he had taken the same route to Squad Five. He was a predictable and kind individual, greeting all those he passed by and treated everyone with equal respect. Not one person would ever label this man as a cunning, deceiving, ego-maniac with a God complex. For none knew his true colors and those few who got to know, where either eliminated or exiled.

Aizen Taichou was keeping his loving and warm mask for all to see, you would be fooled that the beautiful weather matched his gentle nature. Perfectly in harmony and balance. But on the inside, where the true monster lay at bay, a storm was raging. Yes, Aizen Sosuke was indignant, seething and utterly unable to display how absolutely livid he felt.

Once at the barracks, he performed his duties as anticipated from the most loved Taichou. His Fuku-taichou Hinamori Momo was her usual upbeat and joyful self. Those large walnut tinted eyes full of admiration towards her captain, strongly believing she was the luckiest Fuku-taichou of all. He felt satisfied at seeing that his hold on the girl had come to such an extent. It was always a sight for sore eyes. At least one thing was going smoothly.

As late night fell over Soul Society, he proceeded to his bed chambers. Or so everyone thought. Instead the man took a little deviation from the common course. He moved to an unkempt part within Seireitei, a large clearing with naught but desolated buildings. In one of these broken structures he entered into an underground passage where his laboratory awaited his arrival. He was sure he would be met with his two conspirators. True to his predictions a grinning Ichimaru Gin and the ever-stoic Tousen Kaname sat in front of the many monitors.

There were several reasons for Aizen's irked mood. For one he lost his hold over Narukishi city, which had been the perfect place to set his experiments loose. It would not have been such a stab at his pride, had it been given to any other division but Squad Ten. The mere thought of the goofy Shiba Isshin being in charge of his toy was enough to make his blood boil. On top of that, the latest specimen Gin had brought and prepared had been an utter failure. So much wasted time on a promising experiment which yielded no results. Yet another reason for his irritation.

Naturally, he could always count on Tousen to make him feel better. Judging by the many screens, there were some new developments.

"Aizen-sama, we have apprehended an intoxicated member of your Squad. He was found alone and extremely tipsy, no relatives or relevant bonds with any associates within the Gotei 13. I took the liberty of preparing him for research. Though, Ichimaru hit the sample on the head too harshly and there are chances he may not survive till morning."

The fox-faced man turned to look at his partner with an offended expression.

"So mean Tousen-san. You know I meant no harm. Well, for our cause anyway. It was a little slip of the hand. Who would have guessed the little one had a soft cranium? He did spend his last moments with members of the Eleventh. Thus, I was under the impression he would be more of hard-head."

Aizen was already content at seeing the newest project, therefore ignoring the bickering duo. Gin had contained killer necessities which came out every now and then. His care-free demeanor impeccably clashing against the more frigid attitude Tousen possessed. Nothing out of the norms. Letting a smile grace his features, he moved toward the machines.

"Think nothing of Gin's misstep Tousen. Even the best men make small errors here and there. I am just happy we can resume our study. In fact, I believe we can attempt something new. Specific for this opportunity at having a dying Shinigami. What would happen if we were to create a Hollow from a 'dead' Shinigami? Let us take full advantage of the situation we have been gifted. Shall we proceed?"

* * *

Yoruichi had spent the whole day tailing Aizen, but when he disappeared within that one demolished house, she lost track. She was sure a well-placed Kido was preventing her exploration. That was both good and bad. Good for she would be willing to bet this is where Aizen conducted his illegal side and bad for she could not see more. If the Kido worked as a repellent and security system, she could be discovered.

That was reason enough to make her decide to rest on top of a nearby tree. It was remarkable it survived among all the desolation surrounding it, but she would not complain. It was the perfect spot to check things out without being suspected.

Just a little prior to day-break the group she had been spying came out. She stretched and casually dropped to the ground, just like any common feline would do. Aizen and Tousen seemed to be in a rather philosophical conversation, while the illusive Ichimaru kept his smirk in place and watched their backs. The sly man sent her a quick glance unnoticed by his companions. If at all possible, his smile became that significantly larger as though giving her a suggestive look. Yoruichi was worried she had been found out, but that thought was forgotten once Ichimaru turned to face the two cohorts a little ahead of him.

"Ne, ne Aizen-Taichou. When do we get to play with our latest doll? You bad boys, don't leave me in the dark. I wanna know so I can prepare snacks for the show. Should be lots of fun."

Aizen turned to give Gin one of his nifty smirks.

"Soon Gin. Worry not, you will be informed in due time. As a matter of fact, I hear there is a festival coming up. We should make preparations to make it a memorable experience."

Gin nodded eagerly and followed behind the two, attempting to poke a few of Tousen's buttons, while the blind man was tired enough to allow him to do as he pleased. Yoruichi sighed. That was a close call. Though, she had the suspicion that Ichimaru Gin was not the man she had presumed him to be. Instead of revealing her presence, he pretended he had not seen her and on top of that he gave her 'uninhibitedly' an insight to their upcoming plans. Could it be that Gin was a double agent? She will skin Kisuke alive if that is the case. Decision made, she left, preparing her claws in case she had to utilize them in the near future.

* * *

Bazz-B was laughing so hard he nearly fell from his chair. Haschwalth's astounded tone had been awesome. He would remember it for future exploits. They may be friends, but he was not one to look past a golden prospect at getting his hands on good old black-mail material.

The other occupants remained emotionless, unable to understand what caused the loud outburst. And that included Shirosaki. He saw nothing humorous. What was so strange about Haschwalth's behavior? If he truly had lived all these years locked in Wandenreich, would it be so presumptuous to be surprised at hearing a voice you last heard nearly a millennium ago? Sheesh, even Shirosaki had more class than that.

Everyone waited patiently for the cackling to stop. They did not have to wait long. When realization hit Bazz-B that he was the only one making a ruckus he quietened down, trying really hard to not show his discomfort.

With everyone settled, Ossan spoke up into the device.

"How do you do Haschwalth? It's been a while. I am glad you remember both my reiatsu and voice, as expected from the one I assigned as Grandmaster and my second in command."

Haschwalth must have regained his composure as the response was immediate.

"Your Majesty… Indeed, its been far too long. I apologize for my absence. Due to ill-fated circumstances I was unable to personally greet you face to face."

"Think nothing of it, I was aware of your predicament even before meeting with Bazzard Black. On the contrary I had predicted you would send a dependable person in your place. I do have several questions, one of them being: How strong is Soren's hold on the Wandenreich?"

A pause preceded the answer.

"If I may be honest Heika, not as sturdy as we have made him believe. Although, many are willingly listening to his orders because he claims he has what is required to release the seal on your person. I must admit, for a while, I too was lead to accept his assertion as true. However, in recent decades many changes happened and I see he is up to something. Regrettably, I can't seem to grasp exactly what."

Shirosaki scoffed, leave it to Haschwalth to figure out the turncoat that was Soren. Ossan shot him a quick glare to behave.

"There is much to be discussed and I would prefer a private meeting rather than a distant call. How about tomorrow night? I have recently attained a portal medallion which I intend to use. Would I be correct in assuming you recall the path to the 'Eldritch'* room?"

"Absolutely, your Majesty. I shall make all arrangements. May I inquire as to how many individuals will be invited?"

Ossan thought about it for just a little bit. He was wondering if he should bring the eccentric shopkeeper along or not. Unpredictably, it was Shirosaki who offered a solution to the dilemma.

"Hey there Haschwalth-san. Long time no see. To make all of our lives easier, how about you do as usual 'Expect less, but be prepared for more'? Six people on our side including the Emperor should do the trick. Not sure if you want to add this flamboyant fool of a pal you've got, but if you let him come as well, make it seven."

Bazzard's indignant shout went unheard over the light chuckle coming from the transmitter.

"Shirosaki Ichirou, what a surprise. And here I was thinking you got wiped out centuries ago."

Shirosaki merely sneered in the direction of the item adding: "Aw, I missed you too _Sensei_."

That one word 'Sensei' was said with so much cynicism it was tangible in the air around them. On the other side of the gadget, Haschwalth was unsuccessfully fighting the urge to laugh out loud if the giggles were any indication of his state of spirit. He would not deny, it took a long time for Haschwalth to get used to Shirosaki's presence at court. One of the jobs he had been bestowed upon by his Majesty was to teach the creature proper noble etiquette.

Curiously, Shirosaki had taken a liking to the blonde man and did show his respect by going as far as calling him Haschwalth- _san_ from the very beginning. At the time, the suffix was to be earned in the Hollows' eyes, therefore, not many got to hear it said with their names. If they did not end up with a nickname in place of the name. Haschwalth was one of the rare individuals who acquired it immediately on the spot.

Bazzard too was tittering. Gosh, he forgot how amusing it was to have Jugo and Shirosaki in the same room. For a change, he was looking forward to a conference. The only one out of the loop was Soken. He was flabbergasted. The Grandmaster had been the Hollow's tutor? Not only that, but it sounded like they were on good terms bordering on friendly.

"It will be taken care of. Heika, may I confirm that the medallion you speak of is the same one Ishida Soken took with him when he left Wandenreich?"

Ossan froze. Soken had one of those too? He would have to request Soken's full story on his time spent in Wandenreich. In the meantime, he had a reputation to uphold. Ossan was a master at disguising his true feelings and simply confirmed.

"Affirmative. I will leave the rest in your capable hands Haschwalth. We'll see you tomorrow around nine. I do believe it is about time Bazzard returned. I do not wish for his lengthy absence to be noticed."

Bazz-B did not need anything further to be said and stood from his chair. His example followed by all. Haschwalth had taken that moment to terminate the conversation, giving Bazzard the possibility to retake the device. Ossan at the front lead them all to the exit of the castle and barrier. Bazzard bowed with a respectful "Heika." And took his leave.

Ossan turned to stare Soken down. That little slip-up could have costed them their credibility. It was only natural to make him feel mortified. Exhaling loudly and shaking his head, Ossan met the gray eyes which were gazing him with deep remorse.

"Well, I reckon some things never change. You were known for having nimble fingers. Let us just agree you will bring the contraption along tomorrow night. We should pay Urahara-san a visit. I do intend to ask him to join us for a night stroll."

Shirosaki could not prevent his smile's return. Only Ossan would call breaking and entering a concealed realm a 'walk'. With a light gesture he opened a Garganta. This time he needed not encourage anyone to follow. It was either this or walking all the way to the Shoten.

Once at the shop, they were met by the devil himself. Urahara was sitting on the store's porch waving his fan around.

"A good afternoon everyone. It's been a while. Well, a couple hours at most, but who counts? How about some tea? I think Tessai-san just finished the latest batch."

Ossan looked deeply into those knowing orbs. Urahara must already have an idea of what they had been up to. The spark of interest and intelligence was difficult to ignore.

"By all means. Although, it is lunch time. Instead of spending our time in your 'cozy' abode, I would like to invite you for a meal. My treat of course."

Urahara continued to flutter the fan, until he closed it.

"Ma, I do appreciate your kind proposition, but I will have to decline. I am running a few experiments and tests which will require my attention once done. While waiting for results, you may want to know those little contraptions I prepared are very much functional. As per the data gathered form Yoruichi-san the Shinigami have concluded that their best solution at handling the increasing number of powerful Hollows is to appoint two Shinigami to Karakura and Narukishi city. For that reason, I am preparing a new product for Shirosaki-san. But we can talk more about it inside."

Finalizing his statement, Urahara rose and invited the three in. Shirosaki was contemplating to just leave the damned man high and dry. Like hell he would let Urahara get anywhere near him. It seemed Ossan had other plans as he did go after the researcher. A squeeze on his shoulder, compliments of Soken-san, dissuaded Shirosaki's wish to go away. Taking a deep breath, the two accompanied their comrade.

They were back in the same room from earlier in the morning. Well, they were missing Yoruichi and Tessai, but it did not seem to bother the eccentric scientist, who started offhandedly.

"Since we are going to get two Shinigami in town, I am creating a wristband that will keep Shirosaki-san's Hollow reiatsu at bay. Please do not take offence, to most Shinigami and other spiritually aware individuals you do feel as human as they get. However, I know for a fact that there are some who would be able to get a read on your true reiatsu and we would not want that, am I correct?"

Shirosaki hated to admit it, but the guy was right. Aside from Bazzard who sucked at sensing things around him, there were tons of people who may get the truth. Soken and the annoying Urahara to name a few. It was likely that even Aizen could figure him out which was not good at all. Back at the palace it was an entirely different case. Ichigo and Ossan had worked together in keeping his Hollow powers undetectable. But therein lies the catch, it takes the two of them to do it. Without Ichigo the spell did not operate in the same manner.

"Fine, whatever. I'll wear it, but only if it's not messed-up. You try any stupid tricks and you won't live long enough to see today's sunset!"

The nutcase did not bother with threats. If only he could get a penny for every attempt at intimidating him, he would have been a billionaire even before being chased out of Soul Society. A knock on the door announced Tessai-san's immaculate arrival. The large man placed, what looked to be, a black rubber-silicone thin bracelet on the table in front of Shirosaki and took his seat at Urahara's side not making a single sound.

Without second guessing if he was making the right decision by trusting the unconventional shop owner, Shirosaki took the item and placed it on his wrist. He did not feel any different and glanced at Ossan, who in turn appraised the little object.

"I confess it functions quite well, Urahara-san. My compliments on preparing a fully functional product on short notice. Granted, I have the sensation you have been secretly working on it since the first night we've met."

Urahara was yet again caught in his own terrain.

"You would be most correct Kurosaki-san. I was very intrigued by Shirosaki-san's reiatsu. It was a mystery which would not let me rest peacefully. I simply could not resist."

Chills went down Shirosaki's spine. Sheesh, this guy was, to put it lightly, unsettling. And they wanted him to stay and oversleep at the creepers place? Nope, not on his life. Urahara continued as thought they had not been interrupted at all and gave Ossan his entire attention.

"On to another topic. I met an interesting fellow not too long ago. This person just passed by Karakura town and went in the same area I lost track of the three of you. Yes, I tried to follow your movements. And no, I don't feel ashamed in the least. Shirosaki-san, your Garganta was spectacular. I did everything I could, but it was untraceable. I only found you all thanks to the transmitter I gave you. And even with it, after a bit, you were gone. I was afraid of the worst. As I was on the way to investigate, a young Quincy passed by and disappeared around the same place. I figured the whole setting was probably made to intercept the youngster for you to get in touch with the gentleman you spoke about. Would I be correct, Kurosaki-san? Ah, that too would be incorrect. Pardon my lack of manners Kurosaki- _ **sama**_ , or to be more accurate _**your Majesty**_."

Stare down contest: grey versus reddish-brown, Urahara Kisuke against the Quincy King. Shirosaki was placing his bet on Ossan. He had known the older male for longer and the Emperor could be one scary fellow. On the other side, the ex-Shinigami was not bad himself. He found out about Ossan just like that. Nah, he might be good, but Ossan had experience, like almost two thousand years of practice. Damn, Shirosaki always forgot just how old the Quincy Sovereign really was. He surely did look good for a well-kept mummy.

Next to Shirosaki, the Quincy Monarch had a calm air about him. He had wondered how long it would take the ashen-blonde man to grasp his identity. He had not kept his identity undisclosed out of distrust, fear or any other reason in particular. It was purely out of habit.

"It is of little to no significance how you call me. After all, you could have gotten the idea from the way Soken-san paused at my name. Not to mention the little slip-up of 'Hei' he had made once or twice. Though, I was hoping you would have unveiled my secret much sooner."

' _Bang. Sing me a victory dance. Should have made a bet with one of the other two guys in the room, could have gotten me some spare coins. Ok, yens. Whatever works in here.'_

Shirosaki was glowing in ecstasy at the blow Ossan made to the other guy. Call him a sadist all you want, but he was glad the shopkeeper was knocked down a notch or two. Something told him it did not happen often.

Urahara himself acknowledged defeat. It was true, he should have seen the truth sooner. Just confirmation that the person sitting in his store was indeed who he thought to be. Yet another puzzle to solve. He had to hack in the **Daireishokairō*** to find out as much as he did. The Quincy King sealed nearly a thousand years ago by the Sōtaichō. It happened during the greatest war between Quincy and Shinigami. Records stated that the conflict started due to the disruption of balance the Quincy created by killing Hollows.

What surprised him was the information that stated that a compromise was made at first. A group of Shinigami, led by, what would nowadays be called, a Fuku-taichou, was sent to the Living World for a test-drive mission. The Quincy battalion was to keep the Hollows at bay and weaken them enough for the Shinigami to finish them off. There were several successful completed assignments, until disaster hit both sides. That accident was the true root for combat. Apparently, as per the data, the Shinigami unit was eradicated in an assault done by the same Quincy they were working with in unison. Though, it was only speculation. There were no solid signs as neither side survived.

On the other hand, an enraged _**'Emperor Bach'**_ blamed the event on the Shinigami, asserting that the unit sent turned against his troops, killing the whole group and abducting a high-ranking member of his forces. The whole banter back and forth inspired aggression and soon no one wanted to see reason. More Shinigami came with or without permission to the World of the Living to attack the Quincy, who in turn showed no mercy. Bitter at having lost their family and friends, not to mention the capture of a battalion leader, the **'Blood War'** began.

True to its name, s bloody battle commenced, neither side backing down. It was listed that the Monarch had made several attempts at trying to create truce. The only condition was the return of the allegedly kidnapped unidentified general. Supposedly it was a youngster of the age between sixteen and seventeen. It was unknown why the Ruler believed the young soul lived or who the man was to the Quincies.

The lack of evidence was what troubled Urahara the most. It was true that the Shinigami from those time were more battle prone and they set up a trap for the Quincy Leader leading to the man's captivity. But the whereabouts where not disclosed or written. He was sure Yamamoto Sōtaichō was the only person alive to know its location. Also, the restraint holding the man imprisoned could not be broken. Not without a Shinigami's power to begin with. And even with the reiatsu of a Shinigami, it was unclear on how to demolish it. To see the 'prisoner' roaming free and to hear he has been, apparently, unrestrained for a very long time, was enough to triggered a headache to the ex-Shinigami.

"My apologies for the delay your _**Highness**_. I was under the impression you were… ah, how should I say… hmm… unattainable. To have you in my humble shop is still a shocking revelation I am continuously dealing with. Especially taking into account the fact that you are traveling with a hybrid Hollow-Shinigami, collecting pieces of the Hogyoku and offering assistance in Shinigami affairs. I am simply not sure how to conduct myself without generating a new confrontation between our kinds."

Ossan looked amused. Where is a camera when you need one?

"I'd rather we keep my identity top-secret. Hence, please do not address me so formally. There will be some issues should Soren get a wind of my freedom. And to alleviate your worries, I am not fully liberated. Just a spirit-fragment that was never sealed. Even I know not where the rest of me is, but it is irrelevant for our agreement. For your reassurance, do note that Soren was the mastermind behind the incident which started the war. To this day, I resent not having seen through his tricks sooner. But let us focus on what is going on in the present."

With those words uttered, Ossan started to explain everything said and done between them, Bazzard Black and Haschwalth Jugram, extending an invitation to Urahara and whomever he felt should be present for the reunion in Wandenreich the following evening.

Urahara was thrilled at the offer. An invisible empire hidden in an alternative dimension within a secretive plane. What was there not to like? He could barely restrain his eagerness at the prospect.

"There is only one downside I see to the generous suggestion and that is leaving Karakura and the World of the Living unsupervised. With the danger Aizen and Soren pose, it is unwise…"

Shirosaki grunted, stopping the man there and then.

"Listen here Urahara-san, do you really think Ossan would do something like that when he knows Masaki-chan is targeted? Try again. There is more than one benefit of having me around besides my many charms and personality. I can make a Garganta anywhere and everywhere. Making one from Wandenreich to the World of the Living is a piece of cake. I can't make one at the moment to the Wandenreich as I have not been there before. But the other way around, no problem. I am also sure you could bring along a little machinery capable of detecting any abnormalities while we're off."

Urahara lowered his hat to cover his eyes. Busted yet again.

"In that case, we can meet here tomorrow at nine as you have organized with Haschwalth-san. Naturally, my lodging accommodations are available, should you desire to spend your stay with us."

Shirosaki stood from his spot and moved toward the exit while talking aloud.

"Not for anything in the world. Thanks to your wrist-thingamajig I can pass as a true human. There shouldn't be any problems with me staying at the Ishida's now. If they'll want me in the first place. If not, there are plenty of inns all over the city. At the worst, I can 'evaporate' to the same place we just came from. There are many functional rooms, a bit of cleaning and dusting would be in order, but it's a better prospect than accepting to stay here with you. Ossan, Soken-san let's go. I'm starving, all this planning is making me hungry! Ossan do you have a supplement with you?"

Ossan shook his head in delight. Leave it to Shirosaki to lighten the mood. The poor Hollow missed the spark of interest igniting in grey eyes at the mention of supplement. Deterring an animated Urahara, he answered.

"I thought I had already given an answer to that question. Yes, I always carry some along. Soken-san, now that Shirosaki feels entirely human, would you agree with letting him stay at your residence? It is not mandatory, as you heard, he has more options available at hand."

Soken looked pensively at the Hollow's back. In the short time he had known the young man he saw just that a youthful boy, not a beast or a monster that needed to be controlled or surveyed. He would have to bring the subject with his wife and family, but he foresaw not difficulties.

"Certainly. I'm sure it would make Masaki-san very happy. Although, we must seek blessing from Else. She is the Lady of the house and her word is law at home."

The three left the shop in the direction of the Ishida's, leaving a disheartened Urahara behind. Tessai took the liberty of preparing more tea. There was a new brand of chamomile tea ready for testing. Perhaps it would brighten the other up a bit. Ossan remembered to stop on their journey to fetch a light snack for Shirosaki. Once at the Ishida's there will be no prospects of giving the Hollow the Ginto he needs to sustain his form.

* * *

Receiving Else's favor had not been easy. They told her Shirosaki was an orphan Kurosaki-sama met a decade ago and situated into the foster system. He was now sent away from the institute due to his odd coloration he had been born with as it frightened other kids.

She did not believe the whole tale, but she could see that whatever the truth was it seemed to be a delicate subject to the child. The boy looked almost like a Hollow and surely above eighteen, though she was told he was sixteen. She did insist for him to remove his shirt, double checking that he was not a Hollow in disguise. The safety of her own family, her first and foremost duty. To say she was left speechless would be an underestimation. All those muscles, the unblemished skin and best of all, no Hollow hole. Delightful. She was married and would never cheat on her husband, but she was entitled to admire such excellence, especially since they were asking for her accordance.

Shirosaki was given a room near Ryuken's, who was not too happy at the decision, but let it pass as Masaki had been extremely pleased at hearing Shirosaki could live with them. She had spent the majority of the day with Katagiri rearranging the room to her liking. With some, ahem, minor conviction she pulled Ryuken into the mess. Who could resist the ultimate weapon the two girls pulled for him, cooing and puppy eyes. He blamed it on his upbringing of being nice towards girls. Yes, he would continue to lie to himself, anything to keep his pride unscratched.

Consequently, he was surprised when Shirosaki came out within minutes of arriving saying he was done with his belongings. The undercover Hollow was used to moves. Packing and unpacking became second nature in the many years spent with Ossan. When Ryuken entered the room, he saw nearly no changes at all. The mahogany bed and sky-blue velvet cover with white Quincy Zeichen was still there, the closets were filled with clothes, drawers with pens and other little items you could see any normal person carrying around or needing. The cabinet with the mirror was nearly empty, save for toiletries. Not surprising as the other did not wear make-up or contacts as he had assumed at first glance. All in all, the atmosphere was just as he would expect from someone raised in an orphanage. Another peculiarity that caught his eyes was the lack of personalized belongings. Those little things which distinguished each person's aversions, likes, tastes and the kind. There was not one knickknack. He thought that was rather sad.

Lunch had been served not long after their arrival. You could see the newcomer had good manners. Aside from his unusual looks, he was well-behaved. After the meal he had even offered to assist taking the plates, but was reassured by the staff there was no need. Masaki took him to her new appointed room, vigorously pointing to the many changes she made with colors, how she arranged her clothes and newly made purchases. It was nothing much, but it did keep her happy. Along with Katagiri they showed the pale man around the house, gardens and library. It looked like most started to appreciate the quiet man. If Masaki-sama was able to display such trust and genuine care, surely it must be a good individual. The gentleness which Shirosaki used toward Masaki in turn was not overlooked. He treated the dynamic girl as thought he were her older brother.

Ryuken was having a hard time disapproving of the new addition. He too was soon pulled under the spell the charismatic youth possessed. Especially when they made their stop at the library and Shirosaki had the grand idea of acting out one of the many plays they all read. There was a little argument while deciding which author and piece to do, which Shirosaki ended by suggesting they did three different shows giving an opportunity to all.

They started with the classical " **Oedipus Rex*** " by Sophocles chosen by Ryuken. It was his house after all, so everyone agreed his play should come first. Next came the **Kyōgen*** " **Kakiyamabushi*"** , also known as the "Persimmon Mountain Hermit" comedy. Surprisingly it had been Katagiri who was sure some smiles before dinner would be useful as a lovely digestive before the meal. She also had opted for this particular tale as it was a traditional Japanese play, bringing forth their connection with the stunning country they all live in. Lastly, as per Masaki's request came the play " **Aulularia*** " by the Roman Playwright Plautus. Another comedy, this one about a cheapskate.

During the performances all four had a role where their latent talents came forth. It had been an interesting event, never seen before in the Ishida's house. Needless to say, dinner was full of chatter and comments from play selections to acting skills. By nighttime, all were exhausted and sleep came easily.

As it normally happens, mornings came too soon after an entertaining day. Which was the case for a still sleepy Masaki. She was to be enrolled and start school. Ossan took it as his personal business to escort the child and do all the needed work for her sign-up. Simultaneously, opening a new branch of his law company in Karakura. Shirosaki went along just for the fun of it. Yet another day passed in relative peace, until dark. Ossan, Shirosaki and Soken left minutes before nine to meet with Urahara at the Shoten. Unaware of the events which were bound to happen.

Once at the Urahara's Shoten, the three were greeted by the ever-joyful owner, the quiet Tessai-san and Yoruichi-san, for a change in her woman's form. Dressed on top of that!

Her waist-length hair was kept in a ponytail with chin-length bangs framing the sides of her face. Her outfit consisted of a black undershirt, an orange long-sleeve over-shirt with two white straps on each shoulder, a large beige sash around her waist, and black stretch pants with a pair of lightweight brown shoes. In addition, she wore long beige wrist and leg warmers, secured by bands.

"Ah! Good evening everyone. Is it about time for us to depart?"

In response to the landlords' inquiry, Soken pulled out the teleportation device set to bring them to Wandenreich. He was about to say something, when Yoruichi-san spoke briefly.

"Just to give you all a quick heads-up. There is a festival going on in Narukishi tonight and we can expect to be interrupted. I could not find out exactly what they were planning, but Aizen and his men did mention a festival and using their newest doll. It may or may not have anything to do with Narukishi, but I thought it would be wise to be alert and on stand-by."

All nodded in agreement and Soken proceeded as intended.

"If you please, grab a hold of the nearest person next to you and we can be on our way."

Shirosaki had been ready for this and took hold of Ossan and Soken, one on each side. What? He wanted to avoid trouble for as long as he could. It tended to stick to him like glue on most occasions, so why test the waters? Within seconds, the group vanished leaving no hints behind.

* * *

Masaki had been keeping a poster hidden the whole day and was burning from the desire to go out. While in town with Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san, she found a print announcing a festival in Narukishi, but it only started at ten in the evening. She did not bring the matter up with either men as she was sure they would tell her it was too late for her to attend.

Taking the picture, she made her way to Ryuken's room. As a precaution she knocked on the door to announce her visit. No sooner had Ryuken opened the door, she pushed him inside intruding, vivaciously pointing to the colorful paper in her hand.

"Check this out Ryuken. There is a festival in the city nearby. Can we go, please? I've never been to one before. Have you? What is it like? Will there be fireworks? I'd love to see the colors they produce. Mother used to tell me, they came in different colors and shapes."

Seeing a cheerful Masaki who was overjoyed at the mere thought of the festival, had Ryuken weak on his knees. It couldn't possibly hurt to go, as long as they did inform his mother Else face the fury of a worried mother upon their return. They could also bring Katagiri who would be a good support in case of Hollow attacks, thought he did not expect it to happen. It was hard for a male to confess that he liked spending time with the two girls. Katagiri seemed so much more relaxed and open while around Masaki. And Masaki, well it was hard to refuse her anything.

"Sure, let me get mother's permission and we can go. I'll ask her to let us take Katagiri as well, just don't let her know she will be having fun."

Masaki nodded understanding what Ryuken meant. Receiving approval from Else was not as difficult as they had anticipated. She did demand the tree to be accompanied by not only Katagiri, but the butler Cord as well. It was late and they would be coming back at even later hours, hence the need to have another reliable male in their midst. Not having any issues with the command, the four took a car and made their way to Narukishi where the festival was being hosted.

* * *

' _Cold! It's too cold!'_

Those were the first thoughts that crossed Yoruichi's mind upon their arrival. Frankly, it was obscured and yes, it was not the warmest place in the world. How could it be? The entire place was within the shadows of Soul Society, something that the Emperor neglected to let them know. You couldn't expect of him to jeopardize the security of his own domain. It was best to keep a plan B in reserve.

Looking around, Urahara had the impression they were in the middle of nowhere. Nothing could be spotted for miles and miles in any direction, if you were even able to penetrate the blackness surrounding the group. He wondered if there was a miscalculation made due to all of their presences. Shortly, that theory was flushed down the drain as the ground underneath started to shuffle and re-arrange itself. Once it resettled, a gray door formed in front of them.

Kurosaki-sama was the first to move, followed by Soken and the rest of the group. Once the door opened, they were instantly met by a young blonde man with blue eyes clad entirely in white. The only none-white materials being the golden buttons of his long tail-coat as well as the golden buckle of the belt at his waist. The man bowed and spoke in a pleasant tone.

"Welcome Heika, Ishida Soken, Shirosaki Ichirou and esteemed guests. Please, feel free to make yourself comfortable as you would in your own homes."

He indicated to a large black and white marble table. The table fit for eight was enclosed by comfortable looking chairs made of black walnut wood and white leather hiding underneath a soft spongy texture. There was nothing else to the room, which surprised Urahara. He had anticipated much more extravaganza from the Quincy. As thought reading his mind, Haschwalth announced.

"Do not be stupefied at the simplicity of the room, it is designed to change in accordance to the needs it has to fulfill. Should his Majesty request, it could turn into a bed chamber, a kitchen or any other specific room desired. Thus, why we refer to it as the 'Eldritch' room, it is full of wonders."

While Urahara mused the new data in his mind, Kurosaki-sama moved with all the regality his title warranted and sat at the head of the table. Haschwalth to his right with Shirosaki taking the seat next to his Sensei. Soken followed in the others steps and took the chair to Shirosaki's left. Urahara offered the seat opposite of Haschwalth to Yoruichi and he himself sat to her right, with Tessai near him.

It was Kurosaki-sama who began the conversation, starting from the beginning to bring Haschwalth up to date. Once finished, Haschwalth looked deeply into the eyes of his king asking only one question.

"Heika, may I inquire if Soren was the culprit behind the demise of our young Denka?"

A silent nod with closed eyes was all he needed as confirmation. The good-for-nothing wretch had raised his hand against his own son. Such deplorable actions would not go unpunished. The blonde was furious, not that you could tell from his apathetic expression. But inside he was trying to find the most gruesome, most painful torture process he could inflict upon Soren. He knew the man could not be trusted, yet he had never thought that he was responsible for all the atrocities that had transpired.

Haschwalth in turn explained what had become of the Wandenreich in the past centuries. Many of the Sternritter who had been loyal, willingly came to Wandenreich when the fall of the Quincy happened during the first war. Two hundred years ago a new clash began for unknown whys and wherefores. Quincies were nearly eradicated from the face of the Earth by the Shinigami. Ten decades afterwards, Soren claimed the position of Regent and since then their numbers were dwindling. The current topic was the apprehension of Lady Masaki for the purpose of locating the Emperor and release him from his imprisonment. None would have ever imagined that it was just a rouse to gain something else. Haschwalth had been a little hurt at finding out he had not been trusted with the knowledge of the gem. Still, he understood the need to keep that knowledge a secret even if it was from him.

Urahara pulled out his unforgettable fan for fun and to spite the calm Hollow, but kept it closed for the time being.

"Now that we are all up to speed, we should consider our next moves. Neither Aizen nor Soren know of each other, which is a blessing. We do know that Masaki-san is wanted and safe thanks to Ishida-san and Haschwalth-san's cleaning of all relevant records and meddling in Soren's affairs. A marvelous deed for one who did not know the situation. As for the Shinigami, I doubt we could make them see the truth without solid evidence. We should concentrate on obtaining the Hogyoku we presume Aizen has and stop him from doing as he pleases. However, it won't be an easy feat and I sense that even should we accomplish to unmask him in front of the Gotei 13, it would be in vain. He will find a way to Hueco Mundo and continue there with unlimited materials, resources and test subjects. I'm confident he would make an army of Arrancars and attack the World of the Living in order to create a gateway that would lead him to the Royal Palace where the Soul King resides. He is a smart man and will not let anything disrupt his plans. As for Soren, I would suggest finding a way to remove him from his position. The easiest way would be to expose his past misdeeds. The problem resides in the fact that he is a reincarnation and could play the card of the forgetful fool. There is also the problem that should we unveil him, we would be one step behind any and all of his future endeavors. I would suggest to keep everything quiet and remain under the radar for as long as we can with Haschwalth-san as an internal informant."

Shirosaki could easily tell not one of them liked these tactics, but were better then the alternative. Should Ossan be discovered all hell would break loose. Not to mention if Shirosaki himself was to be revealed, a one of a kind hybrid, who knows what lunatic scientific freaks would go after the poor Hollow. It would also not go well with the Sternritter if they knew their Sovereign had a Hollow around the castle acting as a human bodyguard for their Denka.

They did continue to go back and forth with other ideas and suggestions, but they all revolved around the same principle. Find where Aizen hides the Hogyoku and take it from him. Figure out what Soren was up to and what he would do once he realized he could not get a hold of Masaki.

Around the time they were reviewing the umpteenth scheme, Shirosaki abruptly stood up from his seat, knocking the irreproachable chair to the ground several paces away. Ossan recognized the look on the Hollow's face, something big was going on.

"Shirosaki, what is it?"

Shirosaki turned to face him.

"There is a gigantic Hollow reiatsu in the World of the Living. I've never felt anything like it before. Oi! Getabōshi! What the heck?! Weren't you bringing a thingy to detect stuff like that?"

Right on schedule a beeping sound resonated through the room. Urahara pulled out what could be called a portable mini-laptop from his inner pocket and typed away.

"Hmm. It is just as Shirosaki-san stated, it is unidentified, but definitely Hollow and according to the coordinates… Yup, in Narukishi. It must be one of Aizen's experiments."

Shirosaki did not wait for the shopkeeper to finalize his analysis, he opened a Garganta and left. He had a bad feeling, a need to intercept whatever it was causing this distressing sensation. His instincts screaming to run as fast as he could. He was glad he took the ear-piece from Ossan before leaving the Ishida's place. He put the device on and rushed onward. Exiting the Garganta near the borders between Karakura and Narukishi, he was guided by the high pressure to his goal. He could tell the local Shinigami of Narukishi were engaged in battle and made a loud comment to inform the rest.

"Hey guys, can you hear me? I'm in the Living World on my way to Narukishi. The two local Shinigami have started to fight, but I don't think they can hold up for long."

Ossan comforting voice echoed back in his ear.

"We hear you loud and clear. Urahara-san is currently disabling the cameras in that town. Be careful, Shirosaki and don't do anything rash. We will catch up with you at the earliest."

Shirosaki hummed to let them know he copied. Using his mixed technique of Sonido with a dash of Shunpo to move faster he reached his destination in no time. The pale man came to a stop mid-air at the sight of the two Shinigami being obliterated by a Cero. The blast was not as bad as it could have been, but it did raise a lot of dust particles. Once he could see again, Shirosaki was frozen at the sight of the Hollow.

Before his eyes stood a tall black monster with a white mask with bull-like horns and white hip-length ragged hair. He had seen something similar a long time ago with different colors and not as plain… there had been more patterns and several small fluffy mane protruding's… Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he continued to observe the Hollow. From the lack of reaction, he was willing to believe the creature too was scanning Shirosaki.

The black armored Hollow's hole was closed by a white substance. That was undeniably not normal. Two sharp swords instead of hands. Neat trick. He only had to hope the other did not know how to properly use them. All the rest was protected by that tough looking shell. Legs appeared to be lean and strong, perfect for kicking and swift moves. He had his work cut out for once.

Commotion coming from below distracted both Hollows from their self-assigned tasks.

"Shit! What in the world are they doing?!"

* * *

 _This chapter is full of new things explained below. Must admit I did not know half of them. But they did give me something to think about. I so want to restart reading the old-fashioned classics._

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ***Eldritch*** = synonym for: mysterious, secretive, arcane, dark, occult. Pretty cool right? Did not encounter this one before :)

 ***** **Daireishokairō *** = Great Spirit Book Gallery. It is a repository of all the knowledge and history of Soul Society. The area is restricted and as a result, few are familiar with its inner workings even among Captains.

 ***Oedipus Rex*** = an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles, first performed around 429 BC. An interesting story.

 ***Kyōgen*** = form of traditional Japanese comic theater. Who knew xD

 ***Kakiyamabushi*** or "Persimmon Mountain Hermit" = a story about an ascetic priest who hungers in the mountains. The priest uncovers and eats from a persimmon tree, which belongs to a farmer. The farmer catches him in the act and makes a fool out of the priest, by coercing the priest to pretend to be a crow, monkey, and a large bird, which causes the priest to fall from the tree. The priest gets his revenge by chanting and summoning supernatural forces. But in the end, the farmer refuses to nurse the priest back to health.

 ***Aulularia*** = a play by the early Roman playwright Titus Maccius Plautus. The title literally means "The Little Pot", but some translators went with "The Pot of Gold". The plot revolves around a pot of gold which the miserly protagonist, Euclio, fervently guards. The play's ending does not survive, though there are indications of how it finishes in later summaries and a few dialogue fragments. A noteworthy captivating fact is that based on this play two similar plays came to life separated only by time. "Skup" by Marin Drzic (people there have a different spelling, sorry my keyboard does not have their symbols) a play-writer from the old Republic of Dubrovnik where the character named Skup is the main protagonist and Scrooge of the play. At a later time came Molière's French adaptation "L'Avare". It's fascinating how many similarities and small differences these three stories have in common. Naturally with resemblance come also their differences and what makes them unique in their own worlds.

 _ **Reminders**_ _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	22. Chapter 22

_Hello everyone!_

 _Here we go with Chapter XXII_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Who noticed that last chapter was huge? A big shout out to all who did and guess what that includes me too xD

I only found out how big it really was after I posted it. What can I say, my Muse is as unexpected as I am and pushes me to do more in one go.

Got to love Muse-san, else no chapters x3 and only because of that I don't just love, but adore my Muse as well as all of you who review, read, favor and follow. You give us both a push and wings and that means a lot. So Thank you everyone :D

* * *

 _Chapter XXII_

Masaki was bursting with energy. She was excited at every little thing she saw. There were tons of different colors, food stands, games and many more things to see and do. The center of Narukishi was overflowing with various characters some dressed casually, others in kimono and there were even cosplayers and all kinds of costume clad folks running or walking around.

The three followers simply stared at the bubbly girl, amazed at her cheerful nature. They all agreed it had been a wonderful idea to visit the nearby city, even though it was relatively late. Seeing that bright smile, was already worth the long drive. Though, the vivacious girl made sure to include each and every one of them to at least one stand, be it to try something or to demonstrate their skills at the available tournaments, all got a shot to at least one display.

Ryuken's marksmanship was proven at the gunfire game. Cord had an affinity with delicate jobs as it was the case with the net-fishing stand. Katagiri had assisted Masaki in a quick puppet show, giving the spectators and their companions, a fairy-tale filled with magic and wonder. The little presentation did attract in fact a large number of children and their parents, who became overjoyed at meeting the ladies behind the scenes of the magnificent act.

As it normally is, all good things have to culminate at one point or another. Everything was slowly but surely ending as all present were eagerly preparing for the firework. Young and old, for just a moment it mattered not, all were enthusiastically waiting for that instant when the sky would be bombarded with an explosion of vibrant sparks. Masaki had insisted on helping out those who had trouble closing their portable tents. She strongly believed everyone needed to have the chance to enjoy the soon to be spectacle.

They followed the crowd and reached the bank of the city's river choosing higher ground compared to the mass of people gathered closer to the edge. Masaki had been reassured that it would still be a breathless display which she could watch even from afar. Only those words kept her rooted on her spot beside her group, else she may have mingled along with the rest of the mass. A good call, as she had no doubts she would have gotten lost.

Shortly, as foretold, the starry night was illuminated by the myriad of flames produced from the various fireworks. The heavens lit up in a dozen directions. Animals, flowers, raindrops, snowflakes and a bazillion other shapes shined throughout the darkness of the night. The look on Masaki's face was priceless, the girl strongly holding Katagiri on her right side and pointing animatedly at every new silhouette forming in the air above them.

Just as the last of the fireworks boomed, it was accompanied by a different kind of light, this one from a thunder within clouds which were making their way toward the gathered horde of people. It was obvious it was about to rain. Cord had the common sense to bring along two umbrellas. It was his duty as a butler to anticipate even the most unpredictable needs. Certainly, he could not hope to retain his title if he could not do even such a small deed.

Masaki, Katagiri and Ryuken thanked Cord for his impeccable sense of duty, although the butler did receive a little scolding from the youngest girl. She had hoped they could relax and not think about work if only for a little while. That kind heart was what had captivated all servants in the household, and it seemed not only the staff. Ryuken had exhibited minor changes in manners toward the employees, the smallest of deviations noticeable only to those who were frequently around the young Master. There was also laughter and lots of smiles, much more than it had been prior to the arrival of young Lady Masaki. By all indications, their future was very promising. If it continued like this, the house would definitely be livelier.

Softly rain began tumbling as though lamenting the end of the festivity. Cord held the umbrella for his young Master, while Katagiri took care of the little Miss.

The four were about to reach the car they had parked not too far from the center when they all froze at the heavy reiatsu that fell all around them. It was clearly a Hollow reiatsu, but never had they felt anything of such caliber. Well, Masaki did get to experience Kurosaki-sama's reiatsu, which had been so much more impressive. But this… It was different and all sorts of wrong. They sensed two other minuscule presences moving in the direction of the Hollow. You did not require a genius to say, they stood no chance. Masaki ran, activating Hirenkyaku by reflex, ignoring the shouts of those she left behind.

As she reached the epicenter of the reiatsu, she had to shield her eyes. A massive red bolt lit up the night. It took several seconds for her eyes to adapt to the dim light of the street lamps once the redness dissipated. The remainder of the group finally managed to catch up to the escaped lady. Looking up, they saw what could only be described as a black monster, belatedly noticing the arrival of another individual. Besides Masaki, none of the rest would have ever expected to see the 'human' orphan Shirosaki standing mid-air clad in a black long sleeve button-up shirt, tucked in denim jeans which were held fast by a white belt. White boots on top of the tight-fitting material covering the males' legs. Shirosaki was staring the beast of a Hollow down in what could be described as a challenging glare.

The four onlookers did not get the chance to stay unseen. The Hollow turned its head in their direction, the motion copied by a now surprised Shirosaki, who said something, what exactly, they did not know.

* * *

Aizen Sosuke was ecstatic. He was sure he had accomplished what could be considered the work of God. A deceased Shinigami turned Hollow brought forth the fruit of his long-term labors. Who knew the key to success laid in killing the subject just before Hollowfication, taking the whole process to a never before perceived level? It was marvelous, a true piece of art. His two associates came through the door. A grinning Ichimaru Gin held a tray with snacks and recently brewed tea, followed by a serious Kaname Tousen. Gin dropped the tray in Tousen's hands, baffling the other with the unexpected notion. Gin took the liberty of clearing a large white table and move it facing the screens, he then brought three chairs and seized the tray from a still astounded Tousen.

Truly, he should have known Gin had been serious about bringing little nibbles on the night they released the latest experiment to the World of the Living. Tousen's arrival meant that the transportation had been successful and judging by the lack of comments, it had gone flawlessly. They sat with their eyes fixed to the monitors. Aizen had turned on all the cameras he had in Narukishi city.

Indeed, the newest model appeared to be their greatest achievement. They were just seeing the two newly appointed Shinigami of the Tenth break out in sweat from the Hollow's reiatsu alone, when all displays turned blank with static lines.

To say Aizen was outraged was putting it really lightly. How could they gather data if they could not see how the sample behaved? Aizen stood from his seat and approached the machines, frantically typing at the keyboards, willing the cameras to resume their supposed recording. Nonetheless, no matter how many attempts at getting the picture back, it was all in vain. Zilch, not one device performed its assigned task. He continued on, moving to the cameras in the nearby city, wishing to move those in the direction of their sample, only to find those were not working either.

A torrent of violence flooded his usually controlled blood and temper, resulting in the smashing of the keyboard. If he got his hands on the one responsible for this catastrophe, he would make them suffer for the rest of eternity. Taking numerous deep breaths to calm down, he turned to face his underlings. Gin's smirk was replaced by a disturbing confused frown, while Tousen remained the same. The blind man could not possibly see the reason behind his leader's sudden change in demeanor.

"Aizen-sama, has the test failed?"

Aizen let out an exhausted sigh.

"No Tousen. Not at all, I was looking forward to witness what it was capable of. However, it looks like we have some technical difficulties. All of our cameras in the Human World ceased to operate. I am tempted to go there and replace the malfunctioned devices and observe on the spot. Nevertheless, I believe this was a deliberate strike made in an effort to expose ourselves. Therefore, we may as well retire and rest for the remainder of the evening. We can recover our sample tomorrow night."

He said that, but the fire hidden beneath square glasses was indicating the level of fury the man was failing to contain. The two conspirators ensured to heed the proposal, turned command, as told, wanting to avoid at all costs to become stress outlets to their enraged leader. Who stayed behind contemplating his next steps.

Among them, one person in particular was having a happy dance within his own inner world. That black cat must have been a godsend. If only his luck lasted, he might get the opportunity at glimpsing the tiny object he was after. He had to figure out where it was hidden and hopefully find a way to salvage the soul fragment of his adored colleague.

He knew, should he ever be discovered, he would be considered a traitor, but he cared not. His only desire was to assure **_she_** could be complete once more. For that, there was nothing he would not do, no lengths he would not cross. He made sure he was not seen smiling like a lunatic while returning to his division. Careful, he had to be extremely cautious of both his 'comrades' and the rest of the Shinigami roaming around Seireitei. One could never be sure who was a spy in disguise. He was already awake and not tired at all. It was only natural to think he could kill some time doing the despised paperwork he owed to the Sōtaichō. If nothing else, it would serve to lull him in a dreamless sleep. It would not be the first time his Fuku-taichou found him soundly asleep in the office amid paperwork and reports.

* * *

At times Urahara was sure he went above and beyond even his own limits. As soon as the portable computer locked on the disturbingly large Hollow signal, he had engaged in a speed battle against Shirosaki-san, who was completely unaware of the fact. He had anticipated the white male would come out near the place he had met him a couple of days ago.

Shirosaki-san had mentioned he could use the Garganta to go anywhere he had been at least once in the past with a hundred percent accuracy. He had no doubts the Hollow could go elsewhere should he so desire, but it would come with slight deviation in the path. Basically, it would not be nearly as precise.

Therefore, calculating that Shirosaki-san would come out at the border between Karakura and Narukishi, he had to act immediately and disable those cameras first. He had been fortunate. He was positive Aizen would be too immersed in his project to notice the destruction of those first cameras. His next task was to inactivate all the remaining gadgets simultaneously. That had taken ten seconds.

He had found a pattern in their placement, which in turn gave him the possibility to predict their approximate distribution and location. A remarkable gift for a virtuoso of his rank. He purely created small machines. Their goal was to follow the given form and deactivate any spiritually made recording objects. Be it bugs, cameras, lens or any other item, they would all stop their process permanently as they would be hit with reishi infused magnetic waves. Of course, those were safe for humans and spirits alike, they only worked against any type of reiatsu or reishi created electronics.

Yes, he was gloating at his own feat. If only he had access to Aizen's basement and see the man's face now. That would make his victory that much sweeter. Yet, he would have to wait for another occasion and he had no reservations that it would happen soon, very soon.

Closing his processor, he announced they were ready to leave for the Human World. Having missed the hushed conversation held between Kurosaki-sama and the blonde Haschwalth-san. Yoruichi took a hold of Urahara's shoulder, Tessai was at the ready along with a worried Soken. The group felt dread when they heard Shirosaki's comment through their earpieces.

"Shit! What in the world are they doing?!"

* * *

If he could, Shirosaki would go even paler than he already was. Just a little below him and the dangerous Hollow was a small group of people he had not wanted to see near a possible battlefield.

 _'Damn it all to hell! Why are they here? And why the heck are they not leaving? They should be running for the hills and then some more! Shoot!'_

The other Hollow had remained motionless. But that did not last and with a surprisingly fast Sonido, it was on the move, ready to assault the four bystanders below.

Shirosaki countered the early start the Hollow had with his own rapidity and came right in time to stop the Hollow in its' attempt at decapitating the tall butler with his own Zanpakuto. Materializing the huge sword was as easy as breathing with all the years he had behind his back. Still, the Hollow had one more hand available which was in the process of coming to their sides. Shirosaki used his right hand to intercept the swing and charged a quick Bala which blew the hand back. Grabbing his Zanpakuto with both hands, Shirosaki gave a stronger push and managed to sent the perpetrator several yards away.

Shirosaki turned to yell at the Quincies to get lost, but was met with three bows ready to let their arrows at the one who saved their lives.

"Che! Idiotic hunters. What the hell are you waiting for?! Get the fuck out of here! In case you don't get it, that thing over there, is not your everyday Hollow!"

Ryuken was livid. He had come to trust the white man in front of his eyes. To find out it was a Hollow the whole time was a stab he was not willing to forgive.

"That may be so, but neither are you Shirosaki! You think you can simply enter our lives with deception while keeping such an important detail secret? Forget it! I refuse to let you anywhere near any one of us! We will obliterate you along with that atrocity you, abominable monster!"

Shirosaki would have loved nothing more that to send the little kid flying, but he was stopped by the Cero that was aimed in their direction. Turning around he spun his white and black sword cutting the Cero in half. Without another glance back, he rushed at the unknown Hollow, trying to make more distance between them and the Quincy.

Ryuken and Cord were about to follow, but got stopped by Masaki who grabbed their coats.

"Please stop! We should really listen to Shirosaki-san and retreat. That Hollow is too powerful."

Ryuken was taken aback by Masaki's words. Cord was uncertain of what to do. The little Lady was right, the monstrosity was strong. His duty was the protection of the Ishida's family. Katagiri too, was under the impression they should leave the Hollow in the hands of another Hollow.

"Lady Masaki is right Young Master. We should consider returning to the household and equip ourselves. Should the Young Master wish, we could come back and finish whichever Hollow remains standing."

Ryuken was torn, he felt betrayed and wanted Shirosaki dead at all costs. How dared a Hollow infiltrate his home. What was it after? Was it Masaki it wanted? But, the Hollow came along his father and the Heika. And Masaki's reaction. She must have known what the creature was.

"Masaki-san, were you aware of Shirosaki's true identity."

Masaki seemed sheepish, but stood her ground.

"Yes. Well, I suppose it depends as to what you think he is. I can guarantee he is not a bad person and yes, he has a little Hollow in him. But he is more than what meets the eyes. I think he said he was a hybrid or something among those lines. Please, don't hurt him. I have the feeling he's been shunned his whole life for just existing."

Ryuken was thoughtful. It was one thing for his father to conspire and try to work out a truce with the Shinigami. But accepting a Hollow and inviting it in their house? And what about the Quincy King? There must be more to this story. He did not show any signs of leaving, but he did restrain his urge to destroy the battling duo. Whatever ensued, by the end of the night he would get a straight answer, even if he had to force it out of the pale Hollow.

"Alright. I won't attack. But we should stay as support from the sidelines. We can't leave the other Hollow unsupervised or worse let it escape should Shirosaki fail."

Decision made, all four prepared their bows and closely watched the fight between Hollows. The torrent of rain all but forgotten.

Shirosaki was blocking and parring the onslaught of assaults. So far, the black Hollow was trying to find an opening. He was sure it thirsted for blood and the delicious looking Quincies. Shirosaki had no trouble in keeping up with its movements, always one step ahead of the other. He was studying the weird Hollow. Something was odd about it. It fought with the same ferocity as a Hollow, but the dexterity and style of a Shinigami. He was sure whatever info he could get from this thing, guy or whatever, would be useful.

The enraged beast was losing its patience. In a last effort at finishing off its opponent it tried to charge yet another Cero from its horns while bringing down both sword hands on its rival. Shirosaki blocked with his right hand. He saw the Cero forming and put a stop to it by grabbing the charging ball of energy with his bare left hand, his right maneuvering the sword and forcefully repelling the Hollows sword-hands. With a swift swing, he cut his foe across its torso.

A loud screech came out of the mad Hollow. The Cero exploded in Shirosaki's hand raising debris all around them. With a flick of the sword a Garganta opened behind the monster hiding in the dirty cloud the explosion created and retreated. Right on time as that was exactly the moment Kurosaki-sama arrived along with the unusual group.

Shirosaki came out unscratched but pissed. It managed to get away. He had grabbed the creature, but his hand slipped off the black armor due to the blood it had lost. Looking at the new arrivals, he snorted and yelled expelling a small portion of his overall annoyance.

"You are late! What took ya so long, huh?!"

Kurosaki-sama ignored the infuriated Shirosaki and made his way to the shocked background audience, their bows continuously at the ready to fire away. He lowered himself to one knee to be on par with the children.

"Are you alright? Were any of you hurt?"

The four shook their heads in the negative dispelling their weapons. A worried Ishida Soken clad in the Quincy white uniform came at his son's side and hugged him with all the worry a parent had. He raised his head and silently thanked Cord and Katagiri for being there to protect both his son and Masaki-san.

At that instant, Ryuken pushed his father away. He gave him a murderous look demanding answers without uttering a single syllable. Soken could not but falter at his son's determined eyes and nodded his head in agreement. He would tell him everything as soon as they were back in the comforts and warmth of their house. He squeezed his son's shoulder as thought confirming the unspoken promise.

"Cord, please take them home. Once there, kindly arrange some fresh tea in my chambers. Ryuken and I have some catching up to do. I request both from you and Katagiri to forget what you saw tonight. I shudder at how Else would react to Shirosaki-san's predicament. Can I count on you?"

Needless to say, the two loyal servants understood and with a light bow reassured their employer of their discretion. Kurosaki-sama had enveloped the trembling Masaki with his cloak offering heat and support. He remained in his soaked white shirt and black slacks. But showed not indications of being cold or sensing the wetness of his clothing.

All were still under the impression of the Hollow reiatsu the escaped creature had possessed. Even more amazing was the fact that Shirosaki had withstood the hefty reiatsu with little effort. Katagiri approached the young Miss and escorted her to the car. They were all soaked to the bone, therefore the umbrellas were not needed. There was no ounce of resistance and the four left quietly.

Ossan turned to the view of a struggling Shirosaki. The young man had some troubles escaping from a full Nelson hold he had found himself locked in, compliments of Tessai-san. And a shameless Yoruichi-san who had worked in unison while he was rambling about the stupid runaway Hollow. The cat lady was hugging the life out of him with her, ahem, assets. One hand innocently trying to unbutton the black shirt Shirosaki was wearing.

Urahara had seen the blood and was having difficulties in getting a proper sample. How could he analyze the fugitive if he had nothing to trace it with? Shirosaki-san was not cooperating in the least. Maybe if he had asked instead of jumping he could have gotten better results. But, where was the fun in that?

It was thanks to Ossan that all calmed down.

"You are all behaving worse then toddlers. Yoruichi-sama, please remove yourself from Shirosaki before he decides he had enough and blasts you off with a Cero. And between the two of us, I would encourage him to do it sooner rather than later. Tessai-san, kindly take off your hands from him too. He is fighting back only because you are restraining him which is something he detests. Shirosaki, stay put and don't move. I am certain Urahara-san merely wants to take a smudge of the Hollow blood dripping from your hands. And speaking of the devil, next time I would strongly suggest asking instead of making such a fuss, Urahara-san."

Ossan had underlined his threats with a small output of reiatsu, assuring all had heard and listened to his words. Honestly, the only mature person in the whole group were he himself and at times Soken-san. Huffing, he marched in the direction of Karakura. He had no intentions of walking, but his departure would cause the rest to follow.

As predicted and instructed. Tessai-san let go of Shirosaki along with a disappointed Yoruichi. She had high hopes to getting a better glimpse of the body underneath the hindering clothes. Urahara pouted childishly, not in the least happy at having his entertaining cut short, but did move quickly with a vial in hand. He really needed that blood if they were to catch that menace and with the way the rain gush from the heavens, he really risked not getting even a single drop of blood.

Not believing the mad-man, Shirosaki grabbed the vial and poured the remaining blood drops of his enemy in the little tube. Satisfied, he pushed the bottle in the hands of the disgruntled Getabōshi, leaving them all behind and joining Ossan, dematerializing his trusty Zanpakuto. Soken understood that was his cue to move along behind Shirosaki.

The three dazed ex-Shinigami stared at their companions retreating backs. Realization hit them quite hard that if they did not hurry, they would be left on their own. Urahara had other plans. If he read the situation correctly there was a high probability Shirosaki would not be welcomed back at the Ishida's house, what with the poor sap being part Hollow. A golden opportunity to retry his attempts at keeping the pale man in his domain. He was also eager to examine the hard-earned prize.

"Well then, I should really get back to my humble shop. So much research material to examine. Could we kindly ask for a lift? It would be greatly appreciated."

No one spoke up, but Shirosaki did roll his eyes in exasperation. Flipping his hand in the air, he opened a Garganta straight to the Shoten. The sooner he got rid of the perilous scientist and touchy-feely feline the better for his nerves. Walking into the void he ignored the awed sounds Urahara made.

The ride through the Garganta was short and the group found themselves at the entryway of the candy store. Its owner jumping around like the lunatic he tended to be. Such a productive evening. He got to experience a Quincy teleportation portal and stroll inside a Hollow's Garganta and all in one night. To think he had been studying the core of the Garganta for decades and not once did he ever manage to get more than a few glimpses. He absolutely had to find a way to keep Shirosaki close at hand. A shame he could not work his magic on the Hollow itself, but he did prefer to have all his limbs accounted for and in their right positions.

Shirosaki did have a bad feeling regarding his return to the hunter's home. He had the sensation those three would freak out should he come within a ten miles radius from them. He would ponder on his sleeping arrangements. Shooting a quick glance at Urahara's face, confirmed his suspicions that the shopkeeper would jump even higher at the prospect. Nah, he would rather sleep under a bridge than stay with the nutcase.

As soon as Yoruichi and Tessai came out of the Garganta, he concentrated on redirecting the still open gateway to the Ishida's. May as well take Ossan and Soken to the house. He would collect his things and leave. He did not want to be the cause of trouble for Soken-san. He liked the odd-looking male, he could pass for a grandfather although he had some way before he actually became one.

"Just a second Shirosaki-san. I am under the impression your presence at the Ishida's may bring some commotion and since it is late, I am willing to offer bed and breakfast at a great price of solely 2.500 yen per night. How about it? It would be like in any regular hotel but at a much better fee. And I give you my word of honor that there will be not attempts at your person for as long as you are within the room."

Shirosaki was no fool. Urahara was saying he would keep his paws to himself as long as he was _within the room_. In other words, as soon as he was **_out_** of the room in any part of the building, he was fair game. But the rate was really cheap and it was late. There was also the bonus of being able to have his 'supplements' undisturbed and without the need to hide. But that meant he would have to ask Ossan to lend him a few in advance as not to bother him every couple of days.

"Heh. Sheesh, you are actually making me think it over. Tell ya what, make it 1.000 yen a night, breakfast served in the room, accessible bathroom and a nice large practical window and you have yourself a deal."

Urahara pulled out his notorious fan to wave it in Shirosaki's direction.

"Ma, ma, that is way too low even for someone as generous as I am. I can peak your interest for 2,000 yen? But in that case no breakfast and only bedding service."

"Generous my ass. 1,200 and keep that breakfast to yourself. But I do get to bring in food and enjoy my privacy undisturbed. That includes using the restroom. No funny business while going to the bathroom and back to. Don't forget that window I asked for and while at it, make sure I can't get unwanted guests and or visitors while in the room even if that so happens to be you, the landlord. Oh, let us not forget a special repellent or ward against your cat-lady in any of her forms. Sorry darling, I did say you're not my type."

Urahara pretended to think things over while tapping the fan slowly on his chin. He knew all too well why Shirosaki-san insisted on a window. The smart Hollow would get to come and go from the Shoten as he pleased and he would not be allowed to interfere. Perhaps putting a few wards around would go a long way. After all, once outside the room, he would have free reign on the unsuspecting Hollow. If nothing else, he would get a clear idea on the activities transpiring and hours the Hollow enjoyed outside.

Preventing a curious Yoruichi-san to snoop around the room, whether occupied or not was a challenge on a whole new level. Not that he would make anything too hazardous, but it was unheard of to stop a member of the Onmitsukidō, in their endeavors. Be it a former member or even a new recruit. Yes, that would be a most intriguing test and Urahara was not known as a man to back down from a dare.

"Hmm… 1,200 a window, bathroom access and wards against someone of Yoruichi-san's talents. You sure do put me in a difficult position Shirosaki-san. Hmm…"

Yoruichi was about to jump on the normally ingenious man. She would have made it had it not been for Tessai's good judgment. The large man easily grabbed the woman by her hands in yet another display of a perfect full Nelson.

"And if I was to refuse?"

Shirosaki sent him his smirk.

"Heh, silly it is obvious, ne? We have no agreement and we all go our merry ways."

A last-ditch effort from Urahara at convincing Shirosaki.

"I can try the 1,200 for the room, but the wards will be at an extra cost. I might be willing to include them in the price, if you were willing to spend at least one hour a day with me. I am a curious man and I do love to learn new things. There is so much we don't know about Hollows and Hueco Mundo in general it is so frustrating. That hour would be mostly spent on idle chit-chat where I ask questions and you answer. Would that be agreeable?"

Shirosaki never lost his grin and countered the shop owner immediately.

"Hell no! If it's talk you want then I retain the right to decline answering in case the question is too personal or I don't feel like answering. In short terms, if the question is not to my liking, I have the right to remain silent and tell you to move on to another one. Plus, that hour will **have** to be spent on chatter and nothing else. I have no intentions of being a guinea pig or any form of test material."

Urahara closed the fan abruptly and used it to point at Shirosaki.

"Sold! Guess I can't get more than that out of you. My, my, you sure are gifted at bargains Shirosaki-san. Could I ask where you studied the art?"

Shirosaki snorted.

"Hah! Questioning time starts tomorrow. Way too late for that now. And on top of that, I still have to take my stuff, get Ossan and Soken-san to their place and return here. We can't start until we all feel comfortable and get some rest. Trust me, you won't like it if I'm all cranky from lack of sleep."

Ossan nodded which did not go unnoticed by the extravagant Urahara. He would have to be exquisitely careful with mood changes. But he would get to know so much more. Shirosaki was to him like a book with all the data he needed. He merely required to open it and read. Oh yes, he was due to have lots of fun. So different from the monotonous lifestyle he had unwillingly adopted. His greatest concern was Yoruichi-san, that woman was worst than a fury scorned when she was upset. He would have to restock his Sake supplies. So much work for knowledge. Meh, it couldn't possibly go south, right? Yoruichi-san would have to wait for the Hollow to leave the room through the window. And that was when Shirosaki-san would be mostly up for grabs.

If he made his moves wisely enough, he may alleviate Yoruichi-san's temper, get info from the Hollow and see the full skills of a breathing and living hybrid. 1.500 yen be damned, he would get so much more out of the whole package.

Having all come to a conclusion, Shirosaki saluted the trio with a two-finger's salute and disappeared along with the Garganta on his way to the Ishida's. Yoruichi took that moment to dislodge herself from Tessai and went to hit her long-term friend in the head.

"What the hell are you playing at Kisuke? I swear, if I lose even a single strand of hair in either form due to your meddling, I will castrate and dismember you so nicely you will be unrecognizable."

Urahara opened the fan to hide his mock horror. But did speak up before Yoruichi made true to her threat.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous Yoruichi-san. You know me, I could never do anything to harm you. Besides, who says I have to make a ward in the first place? Shirosaki-san has requested for discretion, which I am obliged to offer in exchange for sating my curiosity. And don't forget, he wants a window."

Yoruichi looked confused.

"Yeah, what about a window? It's not such a luxury."

Urahara removed the fan and put it away.

"Well, I am fairly certain he will use it to come and go as he pleases. And once outside of the room, he is all yours. Unquestionably, there is nothing in our arrangement that states he could not be preyed upon the very second, he was to leave the room in question. And you knowing me, would give you an advantage. You would know exactly which room, meaning which window he will be using."

Yoruichi did call down at the explanation and now had a smirk of her own gracing her features.

"Kisuke, you are one devious person and I love that about you."

Urahara himself looked amused.

"Why thank you, I did get it from the best. Why, I did have the best teacher there could possibly be."

Satisfied, Yoruichi replied with a "Yes, that you did. You, lucky scoundrel." And proceeded inside the shop. Her plans were to take a shower and rest for a bit. She had preparations to make and many plots on how to best chase her about to be victim.

Urahara felt sorry for his imminent guest. Oh, well. Better Shirosaki-san than he himself. He could tell fun times were close on the horizon. If only the same could be said about Shirosaki-san. Oh, the forthcoming entertainment was all he could think of, just the mere thought was thrilling enough.

* * *

Having arrived at the Ishida's home, Ossan turned to give Shirosaki an inquisitive look. He was impressed Shirosaki had the courage or stupidity to actually stay at the researcher's shop.

"What now? Is it about me staying at Getabōshi's place. Relax. It's not going to be that bad. We are bound to see him a lot anyway, may as well get used to the lunatic. I get to bring my own food, which means I get to use Ginto without raising suspicions or giving Soken-san even more grief. Speaking of which, mind borrowing them to me? You know I won't break them. I'll use the window to get lost before they try anything funny. Yes, the werecat will be troublesome, but I figure she'll wait at least until I put my foot on the windowsill before pouncing. Sheesh, can't she take a hint? Or at least a no for what it is? Meh, not important. Let's just get this done before I change my mind."

Ossan made a barely audible sound, just enough to gain Shirosaki's attention.

"What about the palace? I know you could enter using a Garganta to the secluded spot you two used to go to. It is a short walk from there to the castle, so why not use it?"

Shirosaki had a blank expression covering his face.

"You're serious? First of all, it's dark and contrary to many beliefs, I do not have night vision. Well, better then your sight anyway, but who would want to clean without a constant light? By the time I found the mechanism you guys used back in those days, it would already be dawn and I so want to sleep for a bit. Next, even if I was to try and do some dusting, it would take time. How long do you think it would take me to singlehandedly scrub away all the dirt accumulated in over nine centuries? And lastly…well, you know… without him it doesn't feel the same."

Shirosaki took a small break, assaulted by memories of that afternoon. Clearing his head, he continued.

"Besides, we are already using the Shoten sort of as a conference point. It will spare me the bothersome travel back and forth. Also, I so do not intend to stay for long. Not sure about you, but I'm tempted to buy an apartment or build up a house. It will take some time to finish, but will be totally worth it, if we decide to prolong our stay and something tells me we will be spending a lot of our time here."

Nothing else was needed. Ossan too agreed it would be more convenient to simply buy their own residence. They did have funds and he was planning on expanding his business to this part of the world as well. He may even arrange to the headquarters to be transferred in this city. He would get to monitor up closely the on goings within his company.

Soken was the only one who had went ahead to the house. It was still raining and he was completely drenched. He had no desires to catch a cold, it was inconvenient, but it looked like the weather did not disturb his two companions. He also wanted to check the atmosphere of his residence, praying against all odds that Else did not get wind of the events transpired. He was greeted by Cord who lightly bowed. Seems like he managed to avoid the worse. If Cord was at the door and Else was not screaming from the other side, it all meant that his wife was not made aware of what occurred. He gave Cord a thankful glance.

"Thank you Cord. Have the children already retired for the night?"

The butler was always on top of his game and quickly replied.

"Not quite Ishida-sama. Young Lady Masaki has taken a shower and by now, I believe she is fast asleep. However, the Young Master is waiting in your chambers as you have instructed. Tea is already served. Would you like to take a bath prior to your appointment with the Young Lord?"

Soken thought about it for a few seconds. It was going to be a long night. Ryuken would not let him take a break until he knew everything.

"That's alright Cord. I will just take a quick change of clothes and dry myself. Ryuken will be furious if I leave him in the dark any longer than I already have."

Cord bowed and let his Master do as he pleased, realizing his Master did indeed plan on spending the rest of the night awake at his son's side. He waited a little longer at the door for the human Hollow and the Heika. He too was perplexed that his Majesty would bring a Hollow along. Must be an important individual to have the Sovereign's blessing and for still being alive. At the end of the day, it was not his business and as long as Master said to forget, that was exactly what he would do. Not many would have had the heart to bring him from the streets, give him a roof and the opportunity to study. But Master Ishida did. If he saw something good in the creature, he would accept and not judge.

Cord escorted each guest to their rooms. He was utterly lost when he saw the Hollow, no, Shirosaki-san pack. It made him wonder as to where the young sir was going, never noticing he actually entered the room. He was soon spotted staring which made him uncomfortable.

"No need to be all worried and stuff around me. I'm a very easygoing guy. But I do know when I involuntarily bring trouble. I don't want for your employer to have any issues with his family. Therefore, it is but logical that I have to leave. I could never forgive myself if I was the cause of a feud between Soken-san and his son. That's not how a family should be, they need to be there for each other and the likes. Meh, it's not the first time and it won't be the last. Stop giving me that pathetic look! It's irksome to say the least."

While ranting to the miserable butler, Shirosaki did manage to finish his packing. Yup, he sure was used to move even on last minute advice. Nothing new there. A quiet knock on the door made both males turn. A sleepy Masaki in a yellow shirt and pink pajama pants stood at the entryway, one hand rubbing her eyes in an attempt at waking a bit more up.

"Shirosaki-san, are you leaving? Do you really have to? I'm sure it will be fine. You don't have to. I bet Katagiri-san and Cord-san don't mind."

Shirosaki had a small smile reserved only for the little girl. He walked toward her and crouched down to her level.

"Nah, it's cool Masaki-chan. We wouldn't want any arguments to raise just because of little old me now, would we? It's not a big deal and… Hmm…you must not tell-tale on me if I share this secret with you."

Shirosaki came really close to Masaki's ear and whispered, but loudly enough to be overheard by Cord.

"I really don't like spending this much time around hunters. I think I made a new personal record. Not to mention, they almost made me a pincushion, if I stay any longer I'm sure I'll find myself out of clothes, because they will be full of holes. I have the feeling that instead of using me as a moving target, Cord Katagiri and Ryuken would take my garments, put them on a mannequin and fire away. And I detest shopping, so it's better for me to scram before that happens."

Masaki did laugh at the silly words. She knew, Shirosaki was trying to cheer her up and not make her feel as sad at having to say goodbye. He really was a nice person. She suddenly hugged him, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She really did not want to let him go, but understood that it would not be fair. Shirosaki should have a place where he could feel welcomed and not shunned.

The stoic butler too had a soft spot for the little lady. To have witnessed Shirosaki-san's method of reassuring the young miss did make him question if perchance there was any possible way to ensure the Hollow's stay. A sigh escaped him. Knowing Lady Else, there was no hiding such a secret. She would figure it out one way or the other.

Shirosaki stood up and rummaged through his suitcase. He pulled out a chocolate brown leather journal. An ancient oak tree was engraved on the front cover, the back had a world map.

"This is a little something I want you to keep. I took the liberty of putting pictures of places I've seen along with Ossan. Buildings, gardens, fruits, markets, people in general you name it. The world is an amazing place and no matter what people do to you, that never changes. I was never one for writing my thoughts, but I bet you would be great at it, just like you were amazing with the plays we did the other day. Whatever makes you happy, sad, upset or ecstatic, just write it down and a few days later come back and read it all over again. I guarantee it will make you laugh. You have a beautiful smile Masaki. Don't let anyone or anything take it away from you, consequences be damned. Do we have a deal?"

Masaki nodded energetically, taking the diary as thought it was a delicate and precious treasure. She had seen it in one of the stores that day while in town with Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san. She would have never guessed the man before her took notice. Even more astonishing was the fact that somehow, he purchased it for her and even had the time to put something inside. She looked back up at a grinning Shirosaki.

"I am much more observant than people give me credit for. I could tell you liked this one. Not sure why as there were more girly notebooks laying around, but whatever works right? It was also less embarrassing to get this instead of let's say a pink one. Now, off to bed. You start school tomorrow and you better not miss your first day. I'll be up and around by the time your classes end. How knows, I might even come and pay a visit."

His last sentence was underlined by a quick wink he gave her. Taking his luggage, he ushered the little one back to her chambers and tucked her in bed. Once he was sure Masaki was asleep, he made his way to the main door. Where he was met by a dry Ossan dressed in a calf long royal blue fluffy bathrobe and white slippers.

The two did not need much to say to understand what they wanted from each other. Shirosaki scoffed and went ahead with his infamous smirk. Just as he was about to leave, he turned once more at Ossan and spoke up.

"You better come to the shop as soon as you wake up. There is something about that Hollow's appearance that is bugging me. For just an instant, I had the sensation that I saw it once before. Meh, can't remember now, but I'm sure I'll figure it out by morning."

Ossan nodded. He had no idea as to what Shirosaki meant, but he trusted the Hollow's instinct. They parted ways, Ossan going back to his appointed room, while Shirosaki went back to the rain. He was not particularly fond of the rain, but he was already wet, so it did not bother him as much. As soon as he was out of sight, he opened a Garganta to the store. Coming out from the void, he exhaled.

 _'Here goes nothing.'_

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

Ok, I did promise we would get our protector soon. I estimate another chapter or two of this length before a star is born :3

Just FYI: 2,500 yen would be roughly 23.01 USD today. I have no idea what was the exchange rate back then, so I am using the modern version. 1,000 yen is around 9.20 USD, 2,000 yen is 18.40 USD and 1,200 is 11.04 USD.

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	23. Chapter 23

_Hello everyone!_

 _Here we go with Chapter XXIII_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

A big 'Thank you' to Semoni Soturi and a Guest review who pointed out my many typing errors. Shout-out to Semoni Soturi for helping me go through hopefully all. Thanks to you I think I managed to fix everything up to chapter 21. Not an easy job to re-post, but I couldn't leave them messed-up, not when it can be nicer. This chapter is dedicated to you, for the dedication you put through to make this story even better. Arigatou, danke, gracias, grazie, hvala, merci, mulțumesc, salamat po, terima kasih, teşekkür…

* * *

 _Chapter XXIII_

Shirosaki was already starting to regret his decision to stay at Getabōshi's place. The ashen-blonde's fan was irritating him to no end. He came out from the Garganta to be met with the accursed item. He did get to break two, but the shopkeeper kept pulling out more. He was shown to his new room. There was a futon, a closet and the window he had wanted. The whole room was as expected just like the rest of the residence. Brown, green and occasional cream shades could be seen everywhere.

He would have to get used to the futon, he had not slept on one before, but at least it was not green. On the contrary, it was the only object with a slight divergence. The thick soft looking futon was in a pleasing to the eye cream hue, the dual sided cover was made from artificial silk and cotton. One side was white, while the other came in a combination of cinnamon and amber adorned by a pattern of black leaves. Honestly, he had been worried it would have been in variations of seaweed green and mocha brown. Don't ask him why he had such an image in his head.

After a quick shower and dressing up, he laid down and covered himself. His last thoughts were on the strange Hollow they had encountered as well as on Ossan. He had forgotten to get a those Ginto from the elder man. Meh, he would ask in the morning or whenever he got to see Ossan.

* * *

A masked man was pacing within a throne room. That annoying chair was mocking him and his endeavors at ever sitting on it, like it knew what he had done in his past life. He was no better in this one either as a matter of fact. His attempts at eradicating the Quincies had failed. The second war had not been nearly as devastating as the first. He had hoped for more victims. Oh well. At least he got to witness just what happened when a Quincy was bitten by a Hollow. That always brought a smile to his face.

He frowned. If that was the case, then what happened back then with his son? He had been able to monitor him without much effort. Then suddenly one day…puff… It all went out in smoke. He lost the connection. Even now he had no idea how that was possible.

But none of those were the reason for his march around the empty room. No, he was enraged… furious! He had already lost five spies, all in a matter of two days! The first one had been the Shinigami from squad Five. The bastard did not even survive the night. He wondered if perhaps the idiotic sap started a fight with the members of squad Eleven. They did spend time together at that bar. The next day he lost two each from divisions Seven and Eleven. That only left him with two puppets in the Eleventh, one within the Seventh and Eight. The fools from Squad Eleven died in a stupid brawl with members of the same division. While the newbies from the Seventh died in a Hollow extermination mission somewhere in the Rukongai. Worst of all, they did not infect any new subjects!

There was something bugging him about the first mannequin. From the information gathered, Squad Five was having a lot of lost or missing members. In his opinion, the Taichou was a softy with too much kindness and not enough strictness. If he disciplined his subjects properly, they would not die like the trash they were. Heh, on top of that all towns were re-distributed and Squad Five was assigned an 'easier' city. Even the Sōtaichō saw how incompetent the sucker was, but did not kick him out. That would change once he became King.

Back on track. He knew the controlled guy died. But it felt as though he was still breathing. How that could be, eluded him. He could not figure it out If it had been just a premature Hollowfication, he would be able to completely control and use the doll to its full capacities. Instead, he only got glimpses and little flashes of what it was seeing.

That was one of the three reasons he was striding around. It was maddening. It felt as thought someone stole **_his_** scout! That would not be forgiven. If only he could get an indication of who had been the culprit. He would strangle them alive or, even better, force them into Hollowfication and abuse their body and mind.

The next issue pissed him off to no end. Amidst the many flashes he got from the miserable allegedly dead bloke, one in particular made his blood boil. Shirosaki Ichirou. He was sure the human bodyguard died a long time ago. He was supposed to die! He himself had created that collar, damn it! It was to explode and take him to kingdom come! There was the chance that the guy was reborn. But the choker was to prevent his return! Shoot! Wait, wait, wait! Did this mean that **_he_** would get a chance at coming back? No! That could never be. For that Masaki would have to have a child with a Shinigami-Hollow hybrid. So far, Soren alone was the only specimen. But he did plan to bring her in his arms and, well, they would be together again. Hmm, more complications. If she was to remain pregnant, he would have to think of a method to eliminate the child as soon as it was born. It shouldn't be difficult. With its orange tuft of hair, he would have to be blind to miss the tell-tale sign of **_his_** rebirth. Even in modern times children could be stillborn.

Lastly, he was missing one Haschwalth Jugram. Yet another stress factor. The blonde was never one to disobey an order and he was sure he was in Wandenreich. But it upset him to know he could not trace him. He had asked Robert Accutrone. Apparently, the man is capable of raising his own training grounds and be undetectable. As per witness reports, he did go in the direction he normally goes to exercise, which was nothing unusual. The poor soul has been stuck here and it is very likely he is frustrated in more ways than one. There weren't many nice girls in this place like in the World of the Living or any other noteworthy members in general. Most of them are in his opinion, simply nuts. What worried him was the tiny detail that he was seen in full uniform.

Who the hell goes on a work-out in uniform? Casual or gym clothes he would expect, but in uniform? Something was fishy and he wanted to know what! A knock on the door halted his mental jabber. By the feel of the reiatsu, it was the absent Grandmaster. Speak of the devil and what not. Cooling down, he responded in his casual manner.

"Come in."

The door was opened to reveal a disheveled Adviser. Never before had Soren seen the other so unkempt. He knew the male was overly meticulous about perfection, so much it bordered on disturbing on a good day, while it came close to psychotic obsession on most days. Haschwalth walked in, not in the least perturbed about his ragged cloak or the various tidbits of dirt staining his white garment.

"You requested to see me Soren-sama. My humble apologies for the delay. As you can see, I but finished my evening training when I was informed of your call. How may I be of service?"

Soren was shocked into silence. He had no idea how to deal with the situation at hand. Haschwalth, impeccable Haschwalth was ignoring his state of dress simply due to his summon. Now that he thought about it, it was not unheard of. The youngster had done that in the past for the Emperor or in situations when his presence was asked in the middle of exercise.

Ah, there it is. To be reassured he did make a quick notion at the others appearances.

"I wanted to discuss the status of the ongoing mission with you before retiring for the night. What happened to you? You look as thought you just came from a battlefield. Had you been in casual clothes I would understand, but this is very much unlike you."

Haschwalth pretended to hide his embarrassment at having his looks pointed out.

"I must admit my training was an utter failure. I had allocated as a personal goal to enter and leave spotless. Unfortunately, some of the spells I have been practicing ended up being stronger than anticipated while others blew prematurely. They did give me an interesting insight on many variations we could use in practice. Still, for me to come out in tatters, I feel it was an utter fiasco. Would you rather I excuse myself and return once I am more presentable?"

Soren looked deeply at the man. Yes, this is but one of many attempts at being flawless Haschwalth was so peculiar about. He recalled a time when the male would disappear with a so called self-appointed task. Every time he came back even with the smallest speck of filth he would proclaim he had not been good enough at doing whatever it is he had planned. He would have laughed, but stopped. He would keep that thought for later, when the man was gone. It was a welcomed rarity to be able to laugh at Haschwalth's errors.

"Never mind, it is fine. I have been informed there have been no traces of the little lady as of yet. Care to give me a status on the search."

Haschwalth pulled out a screen like device and went through it until the display was shown on the nearby wall.

"As you can see, we have gone through all the properties under the Kurosaki family name. Top to bottom, everything was checked, but there have been no sights on Lady Masaki. Since her disappearance from the mansion there have been no new leads."

Soren hated to admit that he could see no fault in the report. Leave it to Haschwalth to make a thorough and detailed account. There was only one that caught his attention.

"How come a lot of time was spent on a single tiny cottage? Mind opening that file?"

Without any hesitation, Haschwalth laid out the record. He was not worried, he himself had made that one with the same semblances and traits as thought it was made by Bazz-B.

"Due to lack in numbers and the small area to investigate, I gave the order to assign the cottage to Bazzard Black as a solo mission. Indeed, at first glance it should not have taken nearly as much time as it took. However, the barriers surrounding the cottage had been sturdier than estimated. Along with the wards, there were many other obstructions blocking the path. It appears like someone deliberately tried to prevent a search. There were signs of recent usage. Additional time was spent in scouting the surrounding area. By the end, there was nothing more concrete to guide us. Bazzard returned to base and personally gave me a full justification requesting for an additional brigade. A new party was organized to look from that point on for any signs of our missing miss. Nonetheless, nothing substantial was found and Bazzard's account has been reconfirmed by the second team."

Soren was astounded. Everything fell right in place, Bazzard Black was notorious as a hot-head with a known weakness for delicate operations. Anything reiatsu or reishi related that was not his own power, was not the man's forte.

 _'By the time we sent someone capable it was already too late and any indications must have dissipated along with possible trails. Not what I needed. We're jumping from one issue to another and as a result get naught but more enigmas and missing data.'_

Soren finalized his inner monologue by looking sternly at Haschwalth, momentarily forgetting he had a mask covering his features.

"I see, so we are back to square one. We have naught but puzzle pieces scattered all around, yet nothing concrete. Moderately disappointing. Though, we shall continue. Masaki must be found at all cost. She is the sole link we have in releasing his Majesty from imprisonment. Meanwhile, Seireitei is in their own predicament. It appears that in certain towns there are powerful Hollows invading the World of the Living. I would like to have each one of these cities with high Hollow activity looked in details. Chances are Hollows are attracted to something or someone. It is not unlikely they are aiming at the lost child. There is a total of six towns, two of which are in Japan, consequently we will commence with those. Take note to send a group at the earliest to Karakura and Narukishi. Then we have Phuket in Thailand, Cape Town in South Africa, Tallinn in Estonia and Cozumel in Mexico. Find out what is bringing Hollows to these locations and report back. Oh, and do please remind our units to stay out of Shinigami's sight. Do advise them two Shinigami have been allocated in the mentioned cities, but we do not want to be detected. Understood?"

Haschwalth had already written a memo of all said and started formulating a plan to distribute and send troops accordingly.

"Certainly. May I suggest we appoint two Sternritter per group? It will take longer for results, but it would guarantee less chances of being found out by the Shinigami. Should we send large units, we may non-voluntarily fall under the Shinigami's radar."

Soren thought about the suggestion. If two Shinigami could be assigned to these places, it would be oh so ironic to have two Quincies, their polar opposites. An even greater mockery would be if they were to travel in troops of four, double compared to the Shinigami.

"A splendid proposition, although it would be easier if we had at least four members. Would you not agree."

Haschwalth continued typing away, already working on an option which would work without risking the discovery of the Emperor's soul fragment.

"Truly, it would facilitate the operation. Do you wish to appoint anyone in particular to certain zones or should we make a random selection and assemble our men by their strong and weak points? An excellent example would be Bazzard Black and Robert Accutrone. The two could cover for each other's flaws. Bazzard's lack of tracking skills would be covered by Robert's attention to details. Simultaneously, Robert's deficient strength would be countered by Bazzard's strength."

Soren was glad he had Haschwalth under his control and command. The man was a warfare prodigy, bested by none other then the Quincy King. There was a rumor that the _Denka_ had been Haschwalth's student and managed to surpass the blonde male. Yet, he never got the full confirmation nor had there been any evidence to back up that tale. Another blessing at having gotten rid of the pesky menace.

"I'll let you make the decision. Keep me posted and updated. I do believe it is about time we both took a break. It is nearly dawn. Good night Haschwalth."

Haschwalth finished typing at the device, placed it back in his pocket, bowed and left the throne room. The lure to decapitate Soren had been oh so difficult to suppress. To know that the cursed individual under the mask was the same person who had taken away Denka's life and do nothing was maddening. It would have been better had he never known that aspect the man possessed.

Nevertheless, Haschwalth was aware and that was a start. He had not wanted Bazzard's presence at the meeting with the Emperor for he was sure it would have never ended. Bazzard was a bit slow on the intake of information when faced with so much data. Once again, Heika proved his talents. During the meeting it was insinuated that Soren may have some sort of hold on the Shinigami. This implication has been proved by Soren's extended knowledge on the Shinigami's town distribution.

Shirosaki's involvement was not fully clear. Still, the Hollow had demonstrated times and times again he could be trusted. The Denka's demise left a hole in all of their hearts, but not as much as it had affected Shirosaki. He could tell, for every single time Denka had been mentioned, Shirosaki barely contained his emotions. He had wondered why his Majesty did not say the boy's name aloud. There were many possibilities, but the most likely was the lack of trust toward the ex-Shinigami he had brought along.

Those Shinigami were also strange. By their clothes and manners, he would have to guess they had been deserters or otherwise in exile. Haschwalth took great pride at being always a step ahead of the situation. As they were parting ways, he managed to speak privately to the Heika and give a personally crafted transmitter. The entire conversation Haschwalth had with Soren had been overheard by his Majesty.

He had never liked the Regent and now he had but more damning materials. Haschwalth was by no means a cruel man, but when required he was not against bringing forth justice. Amidst his many gifts, Haschwalth was first and foremost patient. He would play the faithful pawn for as long as needed. Knowing that a part of the Quincy King was free and already in action was an even better motivator to keep him at bay and halt his hand against the true monster Soren has demonstrated to be. Yes, patience is a virtue he possessed for the longest of times. He had waited all this time, all these centuries. A couple decades more or less were insignificant. No one was allowed to take the life of his disciple and get away with it unpunished.

* * *

At the Ishida's, one figure was unable to sleep. Ossan had heard what Soren was planning. Haschwalth did play his card remarkably well. He had no doubts that things were about to get chaotic. Thanks to the gadget Haschwalth gave him, he will be able to speak properly with the other undisturbed and come up with their next moves.

Four Quincy would be sent by morning to Karakura and those other towns. That would not be an issue whatsoever. It was a large city, Bazzard will be sent within the range of the Ishida's and the children's school. Haschwalth assured, Bazzard would be instructed not to react at seeing Masaki and to keep her location a secret of upmost importance.

Knowing Haschwalth, Bazzard will be grouped with Robert Accutrone as described to Soren. The question was who would be going with the two? In his opinion, the Lloyd twins would be an excellent choice. Loyd and Royd Lloyd were a good match to each other and to their group. The three would also let Bazzard to his own assignment without giving him too much grief. As long as Bazzard reported regularly to Robert, the entire task would progress smoothly.

He still owed a lot of explanation to Haschwalth, especially about the ex-Shinigami, but they had agreed to go in details in the late morning hours after Haschwalth sent the Sternritter to their new job. It was about time to rest, all else will have to wait until more appropriate hours. He sure would not want to be in Soken's shoes right now. The Ishida's Family Head was not going to have any sleep at all.

There was one more thing that was swimming in his mind. Shirosaki's words about the unusual Hollow from earlier. Just what was all that about? Shirosaki was not one to forget things easily. So, what could have he possibly meant? Hoping against all odds more would be revealed during his visit to the Shoten, he turned on his right side and closed his eyes. Forcing himself to catch at least some semblance of sleep.

* * *

 _He was looking at a black Hollow with white armor, a white mask with two ruby red stripes going from the nose to its ears and white horns outlined by two more red lines. One on the inner and one on the outer side of each horn. Knee-long ragged white hair was fluctuating thanks to the desserts gentle breeze. The creature was illuminated by a beam of moonlight. The gaping hole in its chest somehow added to the creepy effect accentuated by the contrast of dark and light against black and white._

 _The armor seemed exceedingly tough. The black hollow arms, protruding from their respective openings, had white outlines. They looked like two waves going in opposing directions, only to be met half-way to a new mutual starting point. It continued on until reaching the wrist where they merged and splashed, breaking in five lines going to the first knuckle of each finger. The nails where long white talons conflicting the blackness of the main body. The same could be seen on its bare feet._

 _All in all, the being in front of his eyes may as well have come out from hell itself. The white mask was forever frozen in a grimace showcasing sharp teeth. The round eyes openings were midnight black, two silver orbs swimming amidst the obscurity surrounding them._

 _Damn! Just looking at those apathetic eyes was enough to raise chills, but all together it was terrifying. He felt trapped in an endless nightmare and perhaps this was it, the end of his relatively scary and short life._

 _"Are you afraid?" came the distorted echoing voice of the beast._

 _He was shaking, trembling on his spot, hating himself with every fiber of his soul. Why was he this affected? Why was he scared? Why was he so terrified of the man he knew was hidden beneath that shell? His own father? How could he be this frightened at the male's reiatsu? Was it still his father or had he lost it to his inner demon? His mother must have been one brave woman. Well, either courageous or a fool with no preservation skills. Meh, he would go with the first thought._

 _"It is normal to be fearful of what you do not understand. A very important lesson for us born in this dim world. You must accept that there are things out here that are bigger, stronger than you. Embrace the dread you are feeling. It is not a weakness to know when you are out of your league, but that is the time when you have to prove you can outsmart your foes. This is why you need to learn and study the mundane workings of this and the other two spheres. Knowledge is a proficiency that transcends physical might. Whenever you find yourself in a situation you can't come on top, rely on your intellect and instincts. Together the two elements by far outmatch any battle skills. That is if your opponent is not out of control. Should you face an unruly and wild rival the best solution is not to move, make yourself as invisible as you possibly can and lay low until it either calms down or self-destroys. Your instincts will guide you in selecting the best option."_

 _He nodded dumbly in understanding. He was in too much shock to give a proper verbal response. At least is was obvious that the person was still in control if his words were any indication. Finally seeing understanding in his son's eyes, the man dissolved his Resurrección. The armor melted, the white lines wiped out from his arms, the mask lost its lines and remained as a plain white helmet. The horns shortened and they too lost their red streaks. The male was dressed in a white Shihakusho with black outlines and a black obi tied at his waist. The long hair, suddenly short and tight, yet it retained some semblance of it's spiky nature. The Hollow hole still in place, but it was not as eerie as it was when encircled by the armature turned Shihakusho. The talons on its hands and feet remained, but they too were much shorter and could easily pass for slightly longer fingernails. Albeit nails that could cut through steel, not that you could tell just by looking at them._

 _This was much more familiar. All that was left was take off the head piece and close the gap in the chest. The man looked like a typical imposing Vasto Lorde, but the air around him was so much easier. Outside his Resurrección form it sure did feel much better and Shirosaki's instincts were not as rampart as they had been before with the fight or flight drive._

 _Shirosaki breather out. That had been one experience he would ingrate in his memory for the rest of his life. There were no doubts as to why this man standing a little ahead of him was proclaimed the King of Hueco Mundo. As a safety precaution, he had been dragged in the middle of nowhere, for this display alone. Else they would have stayed within the comforts of their quarters and within Las Noches. This show was sort of a teaching method to persuade a nine-year-old Shirosaki to study the Human World as well as the workings of the Shinigami._

 _Yes, he could not understand why he had to figure out how humans and Shinigami functioned. He was somewhat inclined to comprehend the Shinigami and their ways, what with his mother having been a Shinigami herself. But humans? Why did he have to know about the weakest form of spiritual life? According to his father, it was because the little runts were really smart when they wanted to be and would grow to surpass all of them with their contraptions._

 _"Son. Have I ever told you about your mother?"_

 _That was new. Father always avoided speaking of mom. Not surprising, she did die giving birth, at that time, to a nameless Shirosaki. His father had never named him and merely called him brat, demon, little one or son, depending on his mood and on what kind of mischief Shirosaki made. He wanted his son to find his path in life and with it, his own name. The young child shook his head in the negative, eager to hear more about the woman that brought him to this world._

 _"A long time ago, I was just a regular Vasto Lorde, nothing special really. By achieving the level of Vasto Lorde I was hoping the pain would fade away. Instead, it came with consciousness and reason we do not get to feel as an Adjucha. Not even the foolish lot that break their mask to become Arrancars get to sense as much as we Vasto Lorde do. Arrancars do get something, but it is not complete as their broken masks become their swords. It was unexpected to say the least. Anyhow, challengers for the position of most powerful Hollow came daily. I got bored and tried to find an alternative to the endless monotony of my life. I managed to remove my mask without breaking it. As you know when I take my headdress off, I can put it where my hole is and fill it, looking more human. I went to the World of the Living, explored the vast uncharted territory. After some time, I got uninterested and moved to Soul Society. Mind you, it was nothing better there either. My appearances did get a lot of unwanted attention and I ended up having to fight on more than one occasion. There was an incident where I even went as far as to bite my adversary and control her moves. I did it so not to have to kill her. It was a malicious short haired Shinigami who had it in for me. Constantly trying to slay me because of my weird outlook appearance."_

 _A chuckle left his father._

 _"I could not fathom what was the problem. It was not like I was there eating souls or wreaking havoc. Just enjoying a stroll under the pleasant climate. Years later while wandering around, I met a Shinigami lady passing about one of the nicest districts of the Rukongai. Her beauty captivated me, she had no idea to be an enchantress. Long straight brown hair, fair skin, lime green eyes and a radiant smile to rival the Sun itself. There was an aura about her that was magnetic, she got me trapped, but I was happy to be under her spell even from afar. Until I made the first move and introduced myself. Though I was human-like, I'm sure she realized I was not entirely human, yet she accepted me just as I was. We started seeing each other and before long she became pregnant."_

 _Shirosaki was willing to bet there was a smile beneath the mask._

 _"I wish you could have met her. When it was found out that she was expectant with a not so human being, she was exiled from her home. I offered to take her to the Human World where we could live undisturbed since humans can't see spirits. On the night of our departure, we were assaulted by a group of Shinigami. They were lead by a man who claimed I ruined his mother's life and it was only proper to kill the one person I loved. Now that I think about it, he did have some strong resemblances to the Shinigami I bit back then. Anyway, long story short, we fled, but she got injured and lost the unborn baby. Several decades later, she wanted another chance at being a mother. I couldn't refuse her, and soon she was expecting again. Due to her old injury, it was a dangerous gamble. Complications arose, but nine months later with her last efforts she gave birth to you."_

 _Sheesh, way to make you feel all cuddly and chummy. If the stupid Shinigami did not interfere, he might have a mom. Shirosaki was cussing up a storm against the vile offenders. His inner storm cut short by his fathers' next words._

 _"My only regret is having left her for that long in Soul Society. We should have gone for the Human World sooner. Had we known more about the Living World, I would have done it differently. Well, seeing as she had her Shinigami duties I'm sure convincing her would have been an interesting challenge. Oh well, nothing to gain from past remorse. Her face at the sight of you is a memory I still hold onto. My boy, I am so thankful you survived and are here with me alive and healthy. You are our greatest masterpiece, my treasure. I want you to be a better man. I do hope you will be accepted as you are by a certain someone, someday. Should you stumble upon such an individual, know that is one rare person. And if by chance that same one becomes dear to you, never let them go. Age, gender, species none of those are relevant as long as you connect and love one another."_

 _Shirosaki's mind was all jumbled up. Why was father telling him all this? Why was he getting no anger towards Shinigami? What was so important? Was Shirosaki really so bizarre that it was not normal? Father did often say that he was a hybrid, unique. Won't people just recognize him for being singular? Was it so bad to be different? A million more questions invaded him from all sides. When he asked his father why he wasn't bitter at the Shinigami for taking mom away, he was told that it was not right to condemn all Shinigami because of the actions of one. Not all were equal, everything and everyone was dissimilar. If they were all the same, the world would be dull and meaningless._

 _Shirosaki continued his studies much more rigorously and even found out that there were humans with bows and arrows capable of eradicating Hollow souls. Talk about radical. If killed, you were gone with no methods of coming back. Yikes! He so did not want to get on a Quincy's bad side. He swore to stay far away from them and their King. His father mocked him and even showed him a picture of the man in ruling over the dangerous bunch._

 _That was the first and only time his father had used Resurrección or put the helmet on his head. Never again had his father had a hole on his chest or horns on his face. Not once were his expressions hidden. At the age of eleven, Shirosaki asked him about it. His response was that he detested going back to that form, he would rather die the way his beloved had last seen him, than look like the beast from which he had originated from._

 _A year later, for the first and last time, his father lost a fight. Barragan Louisenbairn fought for the position of King and won. Even without Resurrección the battle lasted several days. Shirosaki had witnessed the encounter. His father was winning, but got hit by a fatal attack aimed at Shirosaki. His father got struck while protecting his adored son. That Barragan bastard knew he would loose and tried to get the upper hand by aiming at the twelve-year-old. He had been right. Shirosaki was sent to the World of the Living by his badly injured father who told to live to the fullest, to learn and see, but most importantly to never give up on what and who he was. He was a hybrid and had to be proud no matter how the world reacted to his looks, gifts or reiatsu._

 _Shirosaki ended in the middle of nowhere. Alone, lost and sad. He felt when his father's life extinguished thanks to their unique connection. He was left to roam from place to place, but even that did not last long. As the new King, Barragan sent a horde of Hollows to seek out the child of his rival and eliminate him. He wanted to keep his position permanent and refused to let a possible future threat live._

 _Shirosaki ran for his life. For days he was escaping his persecutors 'jumping' from Hueco Mundo to the World of the Living as he did not know how to reach Soul Society. He ended up in a dense forest where his life did a 180-degree turn._

* * *

Hirako Shinji loved doing things in reverse, so much in fact that it became a bad habit. His method of meeting people was to observe them upside-down form a safe distance and get a first impression. He had been in the middle of a nice walk, when he felt an enormous Hollow reiatsu. He justifiably wondered if Urahara Kisuke finally went insane in the past hundred or so years. He had been oh so close to fight off whatever the monstrosity was, while speculating if the reiatsu came from an alleged hybrid.

Imagine his surprise to see a kid battling the Hollow emitting that huge ass reiatsu. Not only that, but the brat felt human. And then wham! The Hollow fled and there was not a single scratch on the guy. He self-confessed, he was intrigued. That's why on the same evening turned dawn he came to the Urahara Shoten. He wanted to know more about the newbie.

It was child's play to find the sleeping male. His reiatsu was unique, seeing as it gave the impression of human. Must be compliments of Urahara and his inventions. He was preparing himself to observe the slumbering man. Yeah, he was weird that way, so sue him. His pondering stopped by a raise in reiatsu coming from the futon.

Oh heck, what kind of mess did he put himself in again. The teen's reiatsu was ludicrous. Just what sort of being was it? He was lucky that Tessai had the foresight to place strong barriers around the whole shop, but if this output continued the Kido would crumble. No choice, he had to wake the pale dude up. He was not looking forward to the retaliation, but it may be fun.

Decision made, Hirako Shinji approached the bedding as quietly as he could. Just as he was about to wake the individual, the form under the covers raised all on its own. Shoot that was fast.

Shirosaki was panting. Hard. He remembered, he finally **remembered** why that Hollow seemed so familiar. His papa bit a female Shinigami, that girl married and had a boy who inherited the dormant Hollow genes his mother never awoke or used. The same guy who was responsible for the assault which lead to the death of Shirosaki's mother. He found out by sheer luck that Soren had been that idiot. You'd be surprised how much intel you can get from drunken fools.

In his drunken stupor Soren confirmed he had grown and thirsted for revenge against the Hollow that infected his mother. He cursed the powers running through his veins. Claiming he hated the Hollow for biting his mother when performing her duty, but his true goal was to purge the creature who gave him an unwanted inner Hollow. Back then, it must have been confusing, the term Hollowfication was not known. Soren must have had quite the challenge to gain the upper hand against his inner Hollow.

Sometime after injuring the Shinigami who was said to be in a relationship with the exact Hollow that made him go through that inconvenience, he left Soul Society, ashamed for not murdering the due. Going down to the Living World, he encountered Masaki. How the two fell in love and came to be together was a mystery Shirosaki could not explain. As time passed, Soren came to understand the Quincy hierarchy. He realized his powers were a blessing in disguise. Thanks to the Hollow side he kept secret from all, he gained massive reiatsu. Using Quincy knowledge and mixing it with Kido, he became even more adapt and strong. He became greedy and would stop at nothing to gather even more power with the intention to overpower the Quincy King and become the ultimate monarch. Not an easy aim, but that did not stop him. In the end, he concluded that he stood no chances and opted to take the throne the easy way, by bloodline. Should the King retire, someone had to take over and Soren was so sure he would be the replacement. When he found out that his son was chosen over him, he must have lost it.

Shirosaki was close to blowing something up. He should have seen all the signs sooner. If he had been more attentive, just maybe…

Shaking his head to clear his overactive mind, he noticed there was an unknown man in his room. Sending the… he would go with 'Blondie'… a deathly glare he spoke calmly totally unlike what he was seriously feeling.

"Shirosaki Ichirou. I give you to the count of 'one' to get lost from this room. It's too early for weirdos."

Hirako Shinji was at a loss for words, but did catch up at least with one sentence the Hollow said.

"Wait a second! Don't you mean to the count of t…"

His verdict was interrupted by a punch to the face which sent him flying out the window accompanied by a single word "One!"

At least it was open, although Shirosaki did not recollect leaving it like that. Meh, he turned around and went back to sleep. He would worry about blonde intruders at a more convenient time.

Shinji could not believe he was brushed aside that easily. What in the world was wrong with the freakish white ass? You don't strike people at random! Though, the Hollow did pack one heck of a right hook. Sheesh, he was doomed to stay single for all eternity with an attitude like that. Kicking around doesn't get you girls.

Returning to the window, he barely put his foot on the windowsill when he heard a muffled voice from the napping man.

"One hit not enough? Back for more? Aren't you the little masochist. Not in the mood at this forsaken hour. If you're here, you're a friend of Getabōshi's and that means you're going to be a pain in my ass. Let me rest and come back at decent hours. If you stay I'll blast a Cero right up your skull, got it?"

Yeah, the kid will never get laid. No sane person would ever want to stuck around someone like him. Shinji really liked his head on his shoulders, he took a strategical retreat and went to the main entrance of the store. He would wait until morning and try again.

* * *

Masaki woke up with a start, her alarm screeching and screaming it was time to get ready. It took her a while to reminisce what she had to prepare for and then it hit her. It was her first day of school. Without further ado, she hurriedly dressed in the schools' uniform. She thought it was funny, but was told it was mandatory for all students to wear the same. There was a bit of anxiety mixed with a healthy dose of anticipation. This was going to be the first time she went to school. So far, she had been home-schooled, thus this was a new development.

She was enrolled in the same high school as Ryuken, her distant cousin now a senior while she was enlisted as a freshman. Her bubbly energy was felt at breakfast. Ryuken looked worse for wear. He did spend the whole night awake discussing matters with his father. He was secretly glad the Hollow did not spend the night at the house, not convinced Shirosaki could be fully trusted. Else had been told the young man encountered distant relatives and moved with them, sending his deepest regrets for not having stayed longer and for his abrupt departure. She did not buy it, but went along, not wanting to pressure her husband who seemed exceedingly worried. Kurosaki-sama by all means looked to have had a restful night.

Soon the children were escorted to school. Masaki was thrilled, upon first contact with the many students, she managed to make a large group of friends. It had been so easy and simple to like the energetic girl. By the end of the school day, she was excited and happy. Going out with her newfound friends and even visiting one for a school project. The assignment was not due until next week, but both girls wanted to start early. Let's face it, it was just an excuse to spend even more time together and avoid Quincy training.

Ossan had escorted Masaki to her school along with Ryuken. He did see the distrustful glare the youngster sent him on occasions, but he had spent years alongside Shirosaki. There was no stare-down contest he could not win.

Ossan took care of his business before arriving at the Urahara's Shoten. As he made his way to the entryway, he heard a loud breaking noise followed by yelling and a red ray of energy. He exhaled.

 _'Looks like Shirosaki is not in a good mood. Either they woke him up prematurely or did something exceedingly stupid before he fully woke up.'_

He was absolutely right. First Shinji Hirako came out of nowhere in the middle of the night and then the same moron returned and got the forewarn Cero.

Ossan entered the Shoten and followed Shirosaki's reiatsu. It was muffled and human, but having spent as much time together as the two did, it was as easy as breathing to pinpoint the other's location. He was not surprised to find Shirosaki seated in the same room they have been spending their visits. The Hollow was still rubbing his eyes with his left hand and stifling a yawn with the other dressed in a white cotton pajama set with big blue dots. Opposite of the Hollow an opening in the wall indicated that someone was sent their merry way. A stupefied shopkeeper who was just inches to the left of the gaping maw, held tightly his cup of tea and the black cat known as Yoruichi was purring happily at her now bright spot. The hole-on-the-wall was at the perfect angle to let sunlight through and warm her back.

"Ah! Good morning Kurosaki-sama. Did you sleep well? Please disregard the…ahem… renovation plans, we were having a bit of fun. Tessai-san should be here with fresh tea and breakfast for Shirosaki-san in no time."

Ossan raised an eyebrow at the mention of a meal. If his memory was correct, food was not included in the deal between the two. Having noticed the older male's interrogative glance, Shirosaki grinned and answered the unspoken question.

"Getabōshi here spoke to an 'acquaintance' of his and the irritating fella came first in the middle of my sleep to bother me. Then, he came back to push a few of my buttons while I was trying to wake up. I warned them not to bug me, but the two did not listen and one of them should be near Tokyo as we speak. Getabōshi offered breakfast today as a peace offering."

It made sense. Ossan took a seat to Shirosaki's right, not at all agitated by the opening in the wall. Tessai-san came right on schedule with fresh tea and even an extra cup for Ossan. Breakfast consisted of steamed rice, miso soup and broiled salmon. The large man had only brought one portion for Shirosaki since he and the others had already eaten. He quickly looked at Kurosaki-sama as though offering to bring something for him too if needed, but Ossan shook his head adding a quiet "Thank you." With that said, Tessai-san left to open shop, leaving the rest behind.

Shirosaki was practically ready to help himself with the soup when Ossan pulled out a Ginto from his coat and silently offered it to his companion. Shirosaki was beaming, who else besides Ossan would be concerned about the Hollow's well-being? His Ichigo without a doubt would have done the same. After all, it had been Ichigo's idea to use the reishi stored inside the Ginto to help Shirosaki's hunger. He missed his King. No point in feeling down. He would see him again one way or the other. Having mentally agreed with his thoughts, Shirosaki opened the bottle with practiced ease and poured its content inside the soup, cheerfully munching away.

On the other side of the table, Urahara Kisuke was barely containing his curiosity at the little tube and the reishi contents now mingling in the soup. Ossan took pity on the man and explained what it was and its purpose. To say Urahara was in sixth heaven was putting it lightly. His mind was flying. And speaking of 'flying' a man roughly 5'9'' or 5'10'' with a short blonde bob of hair and a peeved expression which displayed his straight teeth arrived entering from the hole. His ginger button up cotton shirt was slightly scorched as were his velvet hickory trousers and black leather loafers. Surprisingly the black leather belt and socks sustained minimal damage.

"What the bleeding heck is yer' problem yer' pastry white sorry ass?! You can't just blow a Cero fer the fun of it. Mark my words, ya'll never get a girl with an attitude like that. Sheesh!"

Shirosaki ignored him. He was not interested in girls and he knew to be white, so he was not offended. Let him say as he pleased, at least he got some breakfast thanks to the insufferable wacko with a bad tongue ring. His soup finished, Shirosaki moved to the rice and salmon which only assisted in infuriating the annoying male even more.

"Hey, listen to people when they talk ter' ya, ye punk! No manners at all, huh? What kind of maniac shoots Cero's out of the blue? Think yer funny?"

Shirosaki was irritated. The guys' ranting was making his food taste bad. He saw no better solution than to give the man a taste of his own medicine.

"You want to talk about good behavior? You, who did not find it in him to introduce oneself? Not once have I heard your name. You barge in the middle of the night to spy on a sleeping person and if that is not sickening enough, you continue to disturb a tired man while trying to start his day. I at least made myself known and I even went as far as giving you the chance to beat it before punching you. Not only that, I was generous enough to use just one of my fists. Compared to Ossan, you had it easy. As for the Cero, you were warned in advance. All in all, you have no space to talk about social graces and good protocol!"

Shinji was both upset and astonished at the Hollow's rant, but still wanted to be on top.

"Warned in advance? Yer supposed to give a man to the count of three not one! Besides, when the hell did ya introduce yourself? May I remind ya that since ya came to this room there was none of that from either one of us?!"

Shirosaki blankly stared at the other. _'Is he stupid or what?'_

"I gave you my name when you first imposed. Shirosaki Ichirou. And then, I told you to scram by the count of one. How much time **_I_** give people to buzz off is up to **me** not the one that needs to learn when to depart."

Urahara was having such a good time. Having Shirosaki at the table was entertaining, to see him this spirited from the beginning of the day was even more so. He did not use his fan just out of courtesy. He wanted to pull it out so badly, but refrained. If he continued like this, he would run out before the end of the month. Shinji would have continued, had it not been for Yoruichi and her grunting.

"Silence you simpletons, I'm trying to have a nap here. And Shirosaki is right, so stop pestering."

Bewildered and mildly embarrassed, Shinji cooled down and sat to Urahara's right.

"Hirako Shinji."

No words were exchanged until Shirosaki finished his meal. With a full belly one could see the world much brighter. Oh wait! Nope, it was the same, but seemed different because of the hole. Ossan would have snorted, but had higher standards than that. He gazed at the newly named Hirako Shinji. There was something that he did not like about the male. Ah, another Shinigami, but this one came with a slight Hollow scent.

"Kurosaki Juhabach. How do you do? I presume you are Urahara Kisuke's an associate. For future references, I would strongly suggest not to disrupt Shirosaki's waking habits, he tends to be quick-tempered. May I inquire as to your desire to meet him? Surely, you did not come all the way here purely to sate your latent masochistic exigencies. What could a Shinigami-Hollow mix-up possibly want from their polar opposite?"

Shinji was once again astonished. Urahara did tell him these two were good, but he did not see this one coming. He shot the store owner with a deathly inquisitive look.

"It was not me, I never got the chance to mention Hirako-san. I had no idea you would be coming to visit anyway."

Shinji was skeptic and unbelieving.

"Then how does this guy know what I am?"

Ossan barely suppressed the desire to teach the youngster a lesson, for that is exactly what the man was compared to the centuries both Ossan and Shirosaki had. Shirosaki took a loud sip of tea, trying to break the tense air.

"Ah that hit the spot. As for you, Blondie, you reek of Hollow. Could smell you for miles. So, I'll take the liberty of rephrasing my partner's question. What do you want? You were there last night when that Hollow came. Do you work for Aizen or are you an escaped old experiment? Personally, I'm betting on the latter."

This time even Yoruichi was amazed. Her only slip-up had been the raised ear which she promptly flattened back. It was Shinji who sort of broke the silence.

"Oh, you're good. I see what you meant, Kisuke. Shirosaki, right? Can I call ya 'Shiro' for short?"

The irritated look Shirosaki gave him, spoke volumes and if he was unsure, Shirosaki cleared up any misgivings.

"Either you call me Shirosaki or Ichirou. Call me 'Shiro' again and I'll make sure you don't get a chance at reincarnation."

"Tough crowd. Then, Shirosaki. Ya know what I am from one glance. But I did not know what ya were. Had Kisuke not told me, I would have a hard time believing. That is, 'til last night. Ya do have a nice right hook, but even higher reiatsu. So, yer a hybrid and ya know 'bout Aizen and co. Man, I feel like I'm the last one at getting updates 'round here. Answer me this question. I can understand how ya knew what I was, but how 'bout yer companion?"

Ossan continued to blankly stare the blonde down.

"I am a Quincy, we are highly susceptible to reiatsu signatures. Not to mention I've had much more experience than you could count your years."

"Oh yeah? I'm over three hundred ya know."

"How sweet, you are a toddler. Shirosaki here is more mature than you in both mind, spirit and it would appear in age as well. You see, he is approaching his first thousand. For your information, I will be passing that number for the second time."

Shinji's mouth was left open for several seconds. These guys were almost as old as Yamamoto himself. No scratch that, The Kurosaki dude may even be on the same level.

"Well aren't ya aging gracefully? The both of ya! Who knew mummies could walk among the living?!"

He got no reactions besides bored expressions.

"Alright, fine! I came here ta see this one's inner Hollow. Can't have ya running 'round the World of the Living if there is a chance of ya going insane or being swallowed by it."

Shirosaki met Ossan's eyes for about two seconds and then burst out in hysterical laughter which lasted a while. Ossan himself was having a hard time suppressing his amusement. He would leave this part to Shirosaki, once he regained his composure. Shirosaki had tears in his eyes from laughter. Oh, that had been awesome, Shinji could be a comedian when he wanted.

"Ha! Oh man, that was a good one. No sure which part was better, me going insane or me having an inner Hollow. Seriously, you should consider being a stand-up comedian or something. Well, at least amidst spirits, I don't think humans would understand our jokes. But you came for nothing. Do you really believe if I had an inner Hollow it would not have consumed me by now? I've been alive for over nine centuries, which means over ninety decades. As for the insane part, meh, who knows."

Shinji was not moving and demanded answers.

"Look, I was born like this. I was not a research material nor a test subject. My papa was a Vasto Lorde, my mom a Shinigami. They hooked up, got intimate and here I am. I did not get an inner Hollow, I was born with a Hollow Zanpakuto. It's nothing like a Hollowfied Zanpakuto. Meaning it's not a Zanpakuto that has undergone Hollowfication if you don't understand. In our case, we were a new species, the only one of our kind. I did not have any issues you may have experienced. No weird transformations, no fights for dominance, nothing, just the regular shenanigan to get a Zanpakuto, Shikai and Bankai, with the addition of a Resurrección if I so please."

Shirosaki's words brought down such a deep silence it was unnerving. An undeterred Hirako Shinji was not ready to give up. Standing up he challenged.

"Prove it!"

Shirosaki sighed, this guy was not letting up, but he was still light years from matching Shirosaki's stubbornness.

"Really?! You want me to somehow prove what? That my Zanpakuto and I are nothing like you? That I'm not going to go mad and on a wild riot seeking souls of humans? Please, if you knew anything about Hollows, you would know that Adjucha and above Hollows do not eat human souls. Think about it, a single human soul could not be considered even dessert. Why go through the trouble of devouring one soul, when you can hunt for a Menos Grande, another Adjucha or if you're crazy enough a weaker Vasto Lorde? A Menos Grande is made of at least a couple hundred or more souls merged and condensed. A much substantial meal than a meager single soul, don't you think? Or were you asking for me to prove whether I can kick to the moon and back? Just so you know, I won't mind handing you your ass back anyplace anytime. Hah! I would not even require to change clothes. Zan and I could send you crying and kicking like a kid. Better yet, I could materialize my Zanpakuto and let him take care of your sorry hide."

Shinji felt dizzy, either the room was moving or it was just his head spinning in circles.

"You can materialize your Zanpakuto, as in your sword's spirit?"

Shirosaki watched him as thought he was the one who lost a screw or two.

"What kind of ridiculous question is that? Of course, I can, how else do you achieve Bankai?"

Shinji threw his hands in the air exasperated. He was giving up. He was wasting his precious time. Urahara patted him on the leg.

"Ma, ma Hirako-san, it's not so bad. Look on the bright side. You discovered something new and got to spend some time with us. I did promise to call in case your expertise was needed. But, you came here of your own volition. Is Hiyori-san giving you a hard time?"

"You have no idea. Oh well, no choice. I'll leave it to ya. Hope you're not wrong."

Shinji left using the hole in the wall without any backward glances or farewells.

 _'Impudent and ill-mannered, how charming.'_ Were Ossan's sarcastic thoughts at the departure of the youth. Shirosaki was thinking within the same lines in a more colorful language, but refrained from making any loud comments.

Urahara felt chills. The meeting had been an utter fiasco, but he did get more data on the hybrid living under his roof. At least, he took his precious fan out and waves it as per usual.

"Oh my! That was interesting to say the least. Are we ready to talk more about last night's Hollow? Shirosaki-san, since you fought it, did you get anything pertaining to the Hogyoku?"

Shirosaki had to think about it, but in the end, shook his head in the negative.

"Sorry, I was a little busy figuring something else out. That reminds me. We should probably chase the thing in Hueco Mundo, give it a Konso and let it rest in peace."

Ossan shot him a quick inquiry.

"What do you mean?"

"Simple, the guy has no free will, he is just a puppet. It is unlike the ones we fought Ossan, but I am certain that Soren infected him at one point. In other words, the poor soul got injected with Soren's Hollow powers. From his fighting style, I'd say it is very likely he was caught and further experimented by Aizen after Soren had already infused him with Hollow substance. The swords were empty, devoid of anything as thought he was already dead, but still moving."

* * *

 _Ok, this is by far my longest chapter ever! I'm getting the feeling it won't be the last one either x3_

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	24. Chapter 24

_Hello :)_

 _Chapter XXIV_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Hope you're enjoying so far. As a small bonus, I'll add a tiny part of Shirosaki's past.

This chapter is dedicated to another special someone: my little Neko-chan. No matter how much time passes you will forever be in my heart and soul as my Nee-chan, my treasure. Thank you for being in my life. Aishiteru 3

* * *

 _Chapter XXIV_

The silence in the room was quite adequate considering the topic at hand. Urahara was thoughtful, what Shirosaki-san was insinuating could not be possible.

"So, you are saying that the Shinigami is dead but still moving? I did not believe in Zombies and I must confess I am not inclined to change my opinion anytime soon."

Shirosaki grunted in annoyance.

"And here I was under the impression you were smart. Sheesh, why did it ever cross my mind? It's definitely not a Zombie, but there is the off-chance that during Hollowfication the Shinigami part died and was completely taken over by the Hollow. Trust me, that's even worse than cheap sci-fi."

Seeing he got the attention of both the shopkeeper and the cat, Shirosaki continued.

"If the Shinigami was alive, there would be the probability to make him an 'artificial' hybrid as long as he could win the battle against his inner Hollow, of course. Soren's specialty lies in infecting a Shinigami with his Hollow powers, leaving them dormant, until the inner beast becomes strong enough to consume the Shinigami. It's the same thing your friend Shinji spoke about. Once the inner Hollow takes over it is under Soren's dominion. Think of it as a pack of wolves with Soren as the Alpha leader. During the whole process prior to the Hollowfication and inner fight, the subjected Shinigami is unwittingly Soren's spy. He can feel and see all the inner Hollow can, which is pretty much everything, just like a Zanpakuto."

Urahara was absorbing information like a sponge which he promptly analyzed and dissected. This made much more sense. Individuals strong enough to hold on during the initial soul suicide could fight for supremacy establishing some form of balance.

"When the inner Hollow devours the Shinigami, the two become one entity. Soren enters the creature's mind and voila, he gets a highly capable foot soldier. Last nights' Hollow was different and here comes what I meant by saying the Shinigami is dead. If the Shinigami dies **_before_** Hollowfication, it is no big deal. The Shinigami will either become reishi or enter the cycle of rebirth, his or her Hollow side purged. However, if he or she was to die **_during_** the process, the Shinigami portion is lost while the physique and the Hollow remain. The Hollow overtakes the body, but loses everything else: logic, purpose, reason you name it, they have none. They are devoid of anything they may have been, liked, loved. All is gone save for amplified instincts. Soren's hold is not as potent as there is little he can use to control them with. Such Hollows are extremely dangerous, because they are unbalanced and near soul suicide. Think of them as unstable reiatsu bombs ready to explode at a moment's notice. It's abrupt, unpredictable and leaves a huge mess behind. To put them at rest is an act of mercy."

Urahara nodded, understanding. They certainly should do as Shirosaki-san suggested. Yet, he felt there was something missing.

"I am curious Shirosaki-san, you said you were under the impression the Hollow was influenced by both Aizen and Soren. Why?"

"That's easy. Cases with dead Hollowfications don't last long. Usually, they self-destruct within three hours top. This one is still in Hueco Mundo which shouldn't be possible and that's why I believe the Hogyoku is involved. I can't pin point exactly where he is, but I sense the unfortunate Hollow is wandering. Most likely he'll come back, but that depends on what your pal Aizen was up to. If his last input was to do something in the Living World, his instincts will guide him here, just like they directed him out of danger. Our main problem is, we don't know how long we have until he blows up. Hogyoku or not, without something to stabilize him, he will self-destroy. How long we have? No idea. Anytime between today, a year or more. But I can tell you right now, it won't be an easy feat and the explosion will be much more devastating than in regular instances."

Everyone was dealing with the new intel their own way, until they were interrupted by Ossan.

"On that note, I should inform you that Soren plans on sending Quincies to the World of the Living. He is determined to find Masaki by any means necessary. He has his sight on Karakura and Narukishi in Japan as well as the remaining four cities around the Globe with high Hollow activities. I'm certain the groups were sent earlier this morning. Therefore, Shirosaki, no more Cero's when people rub you the wrong way."

Shirosaki feigned hurt by exclaiming a quick "Oi! I'm not that bad. You should have told me before that Shinji fellow."

Ossan gave him an incredulous look which earned him a grin.

"I never said I would not have sent him flying, only that I wouldn't have used a Cero or any other energy attacks. He had it coming since last night, more precisely since dawn. He was destined to have a trip, it was in his daily horoscope for today."

Ossan could see now why Shirosaki had been hostile toward the blonde. To interrupt the Hollow's slumber was a bad idea, but to deliberately push his buttons before he fully rouse was idiotic and suicidal. Not that Ossan had any room to talk, he was practically the same, if not worse in that regard, especially before breakfast and coffee. Speaking of the fair-haired man, Ossan had some unanswered questions.

"Urahara-san I don't presume you would be willing to tell us more about your associate who recently left?"

Urahara had the fan and was covering his face as per usual. He couldn't put Hirako-san's group in danger by exposing them even further.

"Then, allow me to make my own assumptions. Hirako-san used to be one of the Shinigami Aizen had experimented on. From his reiatsu, I'll say he used to be at least a Fuku-taichou, but it is more likely he was a Taichou. You somehow found out about the testing and got involved. Hirako-san was, regrettably, caught by your punishment force which declared you the culprit, consequently banishing you to the Human World. I have the sensation you used your Hogyoku at one point or another to reverse the damage your comrade sustained. Logically, when you asked a few nights ago about the prospect to detect if a person was subjected to two Hogyoku's, it was no speculation. You believe Hirako-san along with his comrades was exposed to the Hogyoku Aizen may or may not have in his possession. That is the reason why you called him, with the excuse that Shirosaki is an unseen hybrid."

Even the fan was not able to completely hide the shock from Urahara's features. He was surprised that Kurosaki-sama figured out so much from occasional slip-ups and crumbs. No wonder he had been considered the greatest ruler of his time. He was about to put the fan away, when Ossan continued.

"As you can hear, your partner did not reveal anything, even under pressure. So, why don't you return inside Hirako-san? I am sure the hard ground is not very comfortable."

This time Urahara was not the only one impressed, Yoruichi too was awestruck. Judging by the smirk on Shirosaki's face, the Hollow had been aware the whole time, which was soon confirmed.

"Aw, Ossan. Do you really want him back? I, for one, prefer to leave him out. I'm not getting provoked and the allure to strike is reduced."

"Play nice Shirosaki. Who knows, you may end up having a new sparring partner."

Shirosaki mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath, while the blonde male re-entered the room from the same gaping hole in the wall. He sat complacently without making too much of a fuss, but shoot Urahara a dirty look.

"Che. You and yer stupid non-functional contraptions. Should have known it was faulty."

Urahara did pout at the accusation, waving the now closed fan around like a petulant child.

"So mean Hirako-san. I assure you the bracelet works properly."

Ossan took pity and interfered before a brawl started.

"And so, it does. The only reason Shirosaki and I were aware of your presence is due to our skills and history. And let us not forget the subtle movement you made before leaving. I presume you took the bracelet at that moment. Would I be correct?"

Shirosaki was not happy at seeing the other and just added more to himself, but loud enough to be heard.

"Che! Speak for yourself Ossan. I can smell him from miles away."

Shinji was really getting upset. He could swallow his pride and confess he might have been obvious when leaving, but to be insulted on top of it, that he could not take.

"Are ya saying I stink?!"

Shirosaki stopped him right there before a bigger argument rose.

"Never said that! You are the one jumping to conclusions. I stated that I can sniff you. Not my fault I've got a good nose, but sometimes it is a major hindrance. There are things I prefer not to detect, you and your stench among the many on my list."

Shirosaki added the last sentence only to displease Blondie, which was a great success. Shinji was as red as a tomato from his furry and only a step from assaulting the Hollow.

"Why, you!"

Ossan raised a hand to calm everyone down.

"Disregard Shirosaki's taunting's. He is merely riling you up in an effort to make you more agreeable at having a training session."

Shirosaki was a little peeved at Ossan for bring an end to his fun, but he let it be. He would behave… maybe. Yoruichi took that precious moment of tranquility to ask something that was bothering her.

"Shirosaki you claim that Soren can infect Shinigami with his Hollow powers. I can somehow believe that story, but how can you be so sure that last night's Hollow had any contact with Soren? Surely, there are a myriad of other Hollows who could have done the same without the mans' contribution."

Shirosaki cooled down, solemnly responding.

"If there is one thing I could never forget it is Soren's Hollow form. Well, I sort of put it at the back of my mind and remembered in my sleep, but that is beside the point. I know what I saw and I can guarantee it on my very life, that guy was Soren's sample before dying."

Ossan did not see the need for the conversation to continue, he trusted Shirosaki. But that sentiment was not shared among the others. Shinji, being more temperamental, was the first of the three to bring up his doubt.

"How can ya be so sure? Or is it that ya have a bone t' pick with the prick? Not that I know much about this Soren 'r whatever, Kisuke here has to brief me on it. But I sure as hell blame Aizen for a shitload of things and in yer' place, would do the same with yer fellow. So, I'm asking ya, are ya accusing this 'Soren' fer everything that is wrong in yer world out of yer' own spite? Or ya know 'cause of something else?"

Shirosaki was fuming, his rise cut short by Ossan's hand on his shoulder. Meeting those reddish-brown eyes, he saw understanding and a certain level of curiosity. He took several deep breaths to calm down and replied in a monotonous tone.

"Would you ever forget your parents faces? Can you really tell me you could ever fail to recognize Aizen?"

A heaviness engulfed the room. Shinji was reluctant to admit that the Hollow was right, but could not see the connection between family and foes. What none of the occupants had expected was for Shirosaki to elaborate.

"I have told this to one person and one person alone. Not even Ossan here knows all of it, so sit tight and don't interject."

Having received nods from everyone, he resumed.

"I already told you that my papa was a Vasto Lorde. Though, he was different, unique. To this day, he was the only Vasto Lorde to remove his mask…"

Urahara could not resist but to jump on the conversation.

"That would be incorrect Shirosaki-san. We have already spoken about Arrancars a little while ago."

Shirosaki was about ready to blow something up and sternly gazed into those grey eyes of the shop owner.

"Did I say 'break' or 'remove'? Because I am positive I said 'remove'. And what happened to the don't interrupt part?!"

Urahara did receive a scratch to his knee from Yoruichi, the black cat not pleased in the least at her friend's childish behavior. Shirosaki begrudgingly restarted.

"If Hollows break their masks you get an Arrancar, a Hollow-Shinigami hybrid. That is true. But what my papa did was different. He took it off without damaging the mask. Somehow, don't ask me how, for I was not born yet, he merged his mask with the hole in his chest, obtaining a beating heart and human appearances. Not counting his eyes and skin colors as well as his reiatsu, he could easily pass as a human. He went to the World of the Living and Soul Society. In Soul Society he was harassed, even though he did not need souls to sustain himself. He just ate the abundant reishi in the air, but one lady wanted to exterminate him for being different. He ended up biting her and controlled her just enough to leave him in peace. That nibble left his trace within the woman. When she gave birth, the dormant Hollow signature disappeared from her and moved to the offspring. My papa met another Shinigami girl who was much nicer. Long story short, they had me, my mother losing her life in childbirth. During one of my study sessions, papa showed me his true form and his Resurrección. He literally had to pull the 'helmet' from his chest. Not a nice sight. Must have been really unpleasant to remove his heart. That was a one-time deal. Afterwards, when he was satisfied with my learned lesson, he re-merged the mask with the hole swearing to never again look like that not even at the cost of his life. Years later a Hollow named Barragan Louisenbairn challenged him. Papa lost while saving me from an underhanded attack and sent me to the Human World where I stayed. Better than Hueco Mundo any day."

Shirosaki took a sip of his tea before resuming.

"The Shinigami he bit was none other than Soren's mother. The bastard inherited some of my papa's Hollow side. In other words, Soren was born a hybrid. He had a hand in my mothers' demise, but I only found that part thanks to my papa's story and happy circumstances where I got a glimpse of a drunken Soren. Now, since Soren got my papa's Hollow powers, he is able to insert a small portion of poison in any Shinigami he comes in contact with. The only requirement is for the victim to have an open wound, even the smallest cut would do. Once the Hollowfication starts along the battle for control, the Shinigami can either win or lose. If the Shinigami was to win, Soren would know, he would seek out the 'lost' mannequin and finish him off. Not that he ever needed to do that. As far as I know, none ever won because Soren aids those inner Hollows by sending them small amounts of his own power during the fight."

Urahara was fidgeting on his spot. He really wanted to ask something, but was not eager to get another taste of Yoruichi-san's claws. Shirosaki gave him a flick of the hand as though telling him to go ahead.

"This is fascinating! Nevertheless, I am curious as to how you got that much data on Soren's abilities. I understand the connection between your father and the man in question, but how did you get so much intel on him?"

It was a fair question, one which Ossan himself did not know the answer to.

"Before I answer, I want to confirm something. You do know by now that I am not a pet or something like that, right? Have you ever questioned why Ossan and I stick together?"

The mischievous spark in grey orbs was response enough for Shirosaki.

"A couple of months from my arrival in the World of the Living, I stumbled upon a kid chased by Hollows and helped him out. It turned out, the little runt was Ossan's grandson. Afterwards I was escaping Barragan's horde of Hollows for six years. Six years was pushing me to my limits. I was a starving eighteen-year-old and in a really sticky situation. I overheard humans talking about a newly opened position for bodyguard. To be honest, at first, I didn't care. What could I do with human money and their business, when I could not be seen? Upon closer inspection, I realized the request was made by Ossan. Since he owed me one, I thought I could give it a shot and sign up, though I was worried I would be eliminated. Rejection not crossing my mind at all. Imagine me, a Hollow, entering a cove full of Quincies. Like a bone amid ravenous dogs. In the end, Ossan gave me the job and helped me out with my reiatsu. I became really close to my charge, his grandson. To make it simple, we ended up in some major problems. Even while in misfortune, Ossan's grandson had a strong desire to see things through to the end. Our efforts made us look for a solution to the conflict between Shinigami and Quincy. Soren got wind of our tries and caused an 'incident' where Ossan's grandson and I got separated from the Quincy regiments which in turn started the war. Since we were already cut out from the Quincy and return was not possible due to Soren's spies, we decided to conduct our own search. We found many clues and leads which eventually brought us to Soren and his schemes. We witnessed Soren's experimentation and Hollowfications. It was terrible. For me, it was really creepy to see that form after so many years. But Ossan's grandson had it worse. He saw his own father plotting against his people, family and friends while manipulating the Shinigami. Let's just say, he was devastated, but had a strong will and determination to back it up. He swore to put an end to Soren's conspiracy and end the war. I followed suit going along with the ride. That day we barely made it out of Soren's laboratory, but we were persistent. Very often we managed to disrupt Soren's plans from the shadows. That did not end well for either Ossan's grandson or the Emperor, but we did our best."

Shirosaki took a small intake of breath.

"So, you see, if I say that a Hollow is connected to Soren in any possible way, then you can bet that I am not mistaken. The only difference between yesterday's sample and Soren's Hollow form are the hands. Soren had hands instead of swords. Oh, and Soren has tufts of brown hair around his ankles and wrists. Trust me, there is no way to forget something as disturbing as Hollowfication, the feel of the reiatsu or any of the other tell-tale indications of Soren's involvement. That and the Hollow reeked of Soren."

Everyone was quiet for a few tense seconds. That was when Urahara connected all the dots. For the first time his face fully displaying his surprise as the fan was momentarily forgotten on his lap.

"Then, the tragic accident involving the Quincy and Shinigami battalion project was fabricated by Soren. A brilliant move from the enemy! Infecting the Shinigami, he effortlessly made them attack their own and the Quincy. Leaving but one Quincy witness, he probably made it all seem the Shinigami's fault. Attacking and restraining the youngster in charge of the Quincy fraction must have been a show. On the other side, controlling one of his puppets, he returned to the Shinigami giving the opposite claim. Most likely, the plan was made with the intention to imprison the Quincy unit leader. After all, his alleged capture did start the war. Would I be correct to presume the young man was your grandson, Kurosaki-sama?"

A sad nod was all he got before Shinji made a ruckus.

"Wait a sec! Are we talking about the first war? Bloodshed, dozens of dead all of it nearly a millennium ago? Also, didn't it start because of the balance tipping or something like that?"

Urahara gave Shinji an apologetic look.

"Sorry Hirako-san. I was so busy I forgot to give you an update. As a matter of fact, the declining stability triggered occasional skirmishes. I had to hack into the Daireishokairō to get the truth. The Quincy King wanted peace and gave a suggestion in which Quincy and Shinigami could work together. The aim was for the numerous Quincy to weaken Hollows while the Shinigami had to finish the creatures off. That way there would be no risk involving the destruction of the worlds and everyone could live in harmony. It worked for a while, until a disaster happened with the demise of the Quincy and Shinigami squadrons. It was believed to have been an accident, though both sides stated the other made the first transgression. The Quincy King was inclined to let it pass as an unfortunate event, so long as the head of the division was returned."

Shinji continued to stare at Urahara expectantly, waiting for more. Urahara sighed, but to his great pleasure, Yoruichi-san continued for him.

"Can't you see Shinji? The Quincy were under the impression their division head was abducted. Imagine what a mess it would be if a Taichou was taken hostage! Even under such pressure the Quincy tried to maintain peace. The only request was to get the young commander back."

Shinji was still annoyed.

"Ok, what about it? Were there any proofs that the dude was taken and not killed? As you guys said, there were no witnesses but one bloke who saw part of it. Besides, what was so special about the kid to start up a war?"

If looks could kill, Shinji would be naught but dust. Ossan and Shirosaki were contemplating various ways to pummel Blondie six ways into next week. It was, however, Ossan who spoke up.

"First of all, the survivor did have evidence, his memories, which I personally inspected. A particular gift of mine, if you please. Second, the abducted man was a seventeen-year-old with enormous talent and a superb tactician. Next, we Quincy have refined senses. I felt each and every single life that died that day, my grandson was not among the departed. Lastly but not least, he was family, my family. And since we are already on the topic, should I mention he was a Denka? In other words, the heir to the Quincy throne."

At that, the room went deadly still. Urahara and Yoruichi had a feeling the boy must have been a significant person, but a prince? No wonder all negotiations after the event went sideways. For a change, Shinji had no comments whatsoever. He was stunned.

 _'Shit! Did I just call the crown prince a kid? But then does this mean this guy was… is…'_

"Well, shoot! Now I feel like a complete moron. So, you are the Quincy King? Bloody hell! Kisuke! Why didn't ya tell me sooner?"

Shirosaki scoffed, his smirk back full force.

"Like you would have behaved any different even if you knew. Can we get back on track? We know the Hollow was influenced by your Aizen and our Soren, meaning we have double the trouble. As for you Shinji, I strongly suggest you and your buddies to lay low."

Shinji turned his attention back to Shirosaki.

"What do ya mean?"

Shirosaki's smile fell into a deep scowl.

"Are you for real? How did you become a Taichou? There are more of you, right? What if Aizen is trying to find you and your buddies, huh? He is obviously not getting what he wants since he is still experimenting like there is no tomorrow. It is reasonable to think he sends his newest toys to find the old ones. How else to get your attention, but to send new samples to lure you out? At least that's how I would go about this. I am willing to wager good money that you had a huge urge to fight when you felt the Hollow's reiatsu. Am I right, or am I right? Admit it! It is only natural, the reiatsu was mixed with a potent pheromone which makes other Hollows go ballistic."

Once again, Shinji was left with no comeback. It was true, the pull had been incredibly strong. In fact, it was a miracle he did not interfere.

"Hmm, ok, ya got me there. Any recommendations?"

Shirosaki had in fact had something in mind.

"Yup, get as far away from Karakura and Narukishi as you can. The farther, the better. I'd say to leave the country, then again, I'm not sure if you guys have any methods to do so or even a place to stay outside."

Judging by the nervousness Blondie was emanating, both were negative. Shirosaki exhaled along with Ossan who once again took the stage.

"I believe we can help, but there better be no issues or disturbances. I can offer my mansion in Frankfurt, Germany. Nevertheless, if you would feel more comfortable staying in Japan, I could propose…"

Shirosaki jumped from his spot and shouted.

"You better not be thinking about the palace!"

Ossan's tired sigh was indication enough that indeed he was thinking about the castle. Shirosaki set down, not at all content, but it was not his place, so he had no right to decide for Ossan.

"It is the closest and easiest solution. The barrier is strong enough to repel any outside signatures and would keep them undetectable to the enemy. Even if they were to decide to take the manor in Frankfurt, they could still be tracked by Aizen. Hirako-san, would I be correct at guessing that you have a member who is good at reiatsu manipulation?"

Shinji was puzzled and did not hide it.

"Ya mean Kido? Yeah, Hachi. Why?"

"Because you do not give me the impression of having been able to keep your group hidden all this time. Pardon me, but Kido manipulation of such caliber would require a finesse you lack."

Shinji was having his mind blown away. These two guys were something else.

"Yeah, ya got that right. Then ya will understand when I decline. Thanks, fer offering. Ma, I better not tell Hiyori she'll be missing a real castle. Kisuke, I count on ya ta keep yer trap shut, got it?!"

Urahara took the fan from his lap and fanned himself as thought the matter did not concern him at all. Shinji was used to his behavior and let it at that. He stood once again, preparing to leave.

"Well, guess I better scram before it returns. Thanks, fer bring me up-to-date an' all. I'll send yer regards to the rest of the gang. It's been fun meeting ya Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki. Hope we get to have some more fun another time under better circumstances."

That said, Shinji took his leave, this time through the door, he wanted to say 'Hi' to Tessai-san as well before his leave. Urahara stopped fanning himself and resumed his casual mannerism.

"This has gone better than anticipated. I am glad the damage to my abode was minimal, what with Hirako-san's and Shirosaki-san's tempers. As for our business, I dare say I feel outmatched. The only news we have is that two more Shinigami will be sent to Narukishi within the next hour or so. Last night's activities were blamed on an unknown Hollow. Therefore, new representatives were instructed to stay as far away from the Hollow once detected and to call back-up. But I am more curious as to what is this new development within the Quincy lines?"

Ossan told everyone in the group about the device he shared with Haschwalth as well as the discussion held by Soren and Haschwalth in Wandenreich.

"I am certain Soren is deliberately working slowly. He joined the Wandenreich quite some time ago and has access to many manuscripts. I fear he is not telling Haschwalth even half of his plans. The mere fact that he is poisoning Shinigami's to gain intel within Seireitei is a strong sign. I asked Haschwalth to do his best to become closer to Soren. Indiscreetly as not to raise suspicions. He is our eyes and ears within Wandenreich. As for the Shinigami and Aizen, from Shirosaki's earlier account, we can confirm he does in fact poses one of the remaining Haldister fragments. It would be in our best interest to take the gem from his person. Hopefully, he did not try to merge with it, else it may present yet another challenge."

Urahara was lost in thoughts, a billion scenarios formulating in his brilliant mind.

"Yoruichi-san found the entrance to his underground basement or laboratory. We could start there, though it is protected by a powerful ward. There is also a new revelation in regards to his coworkers. Up until recently, we believed his trusty affiliates to be Ichimaru Gin and Kaname Tousen. So far, this has never changed. However, Yoruichi-san has reason to believe one of them could be a traitor. Ichimaru Gin. We do not know what his motives are, but we did find out about Aizen's experiment thanks to a deliberate slip-up he made to Yoruichi-san. Though, I am confused as to what his goal is. He could be after the Hogyoku for himself or he may have a grudge against Aizen which I personally doubt. The three have been together for the longest of times."

Ossan quickly went through the data and made a few points.

"Would you think it safe enough for Shirosaki and I to step in contact with this Shinigami? It surely would be beneficial to have him as a double agent. Although, I too agree it could all be a farce."

Urahara was overjoyed Kurosaki-sama was keeping up with his train of thoughts.

"If we could find out what his agenda is, I'm sure we could coax him into joining our cause. But, as you said, we are not sure. There is always the possibility he is doing it with the purpose of catching Yoruichi-san or all of us off guard."

They were back at the start line. Shirosaki was tired of the back and forth games.

"How about this? Ossan and I will go to Soul Society with Yoruichi and see if we can breach the barriers blocking the passage. If we make it, we try and get our hands on the Hogyoku. If not, we retreat. I would also like to get to Hueco Mundo and finish off the miserable Hollow. I can only hope Soren is not able to see through his eyes. Because if he can, then he already saw me. Not as bad as if he was to glance upon Ossan. That, we must avoid at all costs."

All three agreed. Urahara was getting excited again.

"How about we first take care of Soul Society and then the Hollow? Shirosaki-san you said you can't pinpoint the precise location of our escapee. If we enter Aizen's lab, we should be able to find a device to track it down. It would be like killing two birds with one stone."

Neither Ossan nor Shirosaki saw a flaw with the idea and the two nodded in agreement.

"Should we meet here at eight this evening? I promise to make special concealing cloaks for both of you, thus you will be able to cross over to Soul Society unhindered."

Shirosaki stood from his spot and stretched, unknowingly displaying part of his firm abdomen for all to see. He excused himself from the table and room to make his way to his room for a change of clothes. He decided to dress lightly. He put a cotton white shirt which fit him like second skin, chiffon slate gray long trousers tight at the top stretched toward the bottom in a trapeze fashion. A black belt with a white buckle and white on black high converse finished his looks. His black dragon necklace stood out on top of the white shirt. He felt like letting it catch a bit of Sun today. Since the weather was tricky, he opted to take an ebony black spandex high collar jacket with a hoodie. The material was light, highly elastic and best of all durable and waterproof. He left it open to make the white shirt and pendant even more visible.

He could tell the group was gathered at the shop's exit. Shirosaki chuckled to himself. He just recalled the deal between him and the nutcase. He opened the window and with a small Shunpo left outside the store's perimeters. He knew Ossan would sense him and sure enough, he could already see the elder man moving in his direction. There were tons of form-filling documents waiting for them. Ossan had to get his company moved, and if that was not enough, Masaki's adoption papers had to be finalized. The day would be boring, but at least they were giving Soken-san a bit of reprieve.

* * *

Within the walls of Seireitei a man was running around with an occasional burst or two of Shunpo. If you had a quick eye, you would see the person was dressed in the standard Shinigami robes and Captain's Haori. The number ten visible on his back. Soon the figure stopped and climbed a tree, hiding within the dense foliage. The man's face was boyish, adorned by sideburns onto the margins. Black spiky hair was short and flat to the sides while tall and thick on the front top. Playful mocha brown eyes looked around, enjoying the beautiful day.

Shiba Isshin was relishing the Sun's warmth. In his opinion, such a lovely afternoon was better spent outside in the open rather than the stuffy office doing paperwork. Truthfully, he exploited any plausible excuse to avoid his dreaded administrative duties. What was the use of a Fuku-taichou and a Third Seat, if not for situations like these? His relaxation did not last long, as he could hear his Fuku-taichou's irritated voice calling for him. Matsumoto Rangiku was hot on his trail, but he was not worried. He was sure this time he managed to hide his reiatsu to the point of non-existent. At least he was hoping it was so.

A mature girl of the height of 5'7'' ran in search of her superior. Many of her division members pitying her relentless chase. Everyday was the same with their Taichou and Fuku-taichou, so much, at times, it was embarrassing. Even so, none of the squad members thought ill of their goofy Taichou. In fact, they respected his jovial behavior and desire to just be himself. Shiba-Taichou was childish at times, but never unjust. When needed, he was a power-house rivaled by few other Taichou's. His cheerful nature never clouded his judgment and he treated every single officer equally. Therefore, his games and jolly demeanor were often overlooked.

The running girl has shoulder length wavy golden blonde hair, blue eyes, full lips, and a beauty mark located under the right side of her mouth. She wears the standard Shinigami Shihakusho with a few additions; a bubblegum pink scarf tied into a knot around her neck, the Fuku-taichou band secured on her left arm, her robes hang loose at the front for her ample bosom to be revealed and she had a thin golden necklace tucked between her cleavage. Judging by the sweat visible on her figure, she has been racing for a while now.

"Taichou! Where are you, Taichou? Come out, come out wherever you are!"

She came to an abrupt stop and turned around, looking suspiciously at a tree in the courtyard. Without glancing back, she ordered her comrade to borrow her the tray her division member was holding. No sooner had the tray been placed upon her hands, it went flying at the tree with a victorious cry of: "Found you, Taichou!"

Our hiding Taichou managed to grab the tray, but that caused him to lose his balance on the branch he was lodging. Matsumoto was having a delighted smirk and added is a pleased tone.

"Perfect hit."

Shiba Isshin was not easily deterred and added with his childlike tone: "Too bad! I stopped it before it actually hit me!"

His comeback earned him an unseen foot to the tray, which finally connected with his face, leaving an angry mark on his nose and making him cry out in pain.

"Ouch! It broke! My sharp nose broke! Oh, no! I'll have to take a break for today!"

Matsumoto ignored the pretended screaming, she knew her Taichou too well to be fooled.

"Come on! Time to go back and this time I'll force you to work, Shiba-Taichou."

Mentioned Taichou had a contemplative look on his features, as thought believing he could still make it out of the minor mess. He approached the petite crew Matsumoto had taken the tray from and returned it with apologies for it being cracked, claiming it was all Rangiku's fault.

"Don't' blame me! Not my fault you've been running around neglecting your job! Sheesh, I know you're a branch, but if the head of the Shiba family behaves like this it will affect the honor of the main household too! Get a hold of yourself already!"

"Here we go again. Every time we disagree, you throw my status and family around. I know you only want me to get back to lower your workload and have fun. Hmm? You can't fool me. I'm well aware that you're actually slowly, but surely increasing my piles while decreasing yours. Evil tactician, demon, witch!"

Matsumoto was at her wits ends and was ready to give her Taichou a piece of her mind. But stopped when Shiba-Taichou called out her name.

"Rangiku!"

As an automatic reflex, Matsumoto calmed down to listen with a quick response of "Hai!"

With a straight and serious face, Shiba Isshin continued.

"Today, because of the time you spent chasing me around…" small pause for drastic effect followed by the usual juvenile voice "…your boobs are all shiny. Nice work!"

To say he got what he deserved was not fully true. He got beaten for this and some previous lapses. Matsumoto finally managed to drag him back to the barracks and office where they were met by a small annoyed child about 4'4'' with turquoise eyes and short, spiked, white hair holding a heap of papers.

"You're late. I already finished these."

Isshin grabbed the shortest member of his squad and his Third Seat, raising him up and down while praising his work.

"You're amazing Toshiro! Worthy of the next Taichou position"

Matsumoto was furious just at the mere idea.

"Hold on! Considering my rank, I should be next in line!"

Isshin shot her a disbelieving look.

"Are you nuts? If someone like you became Taichou, our division would crumble down."

Still high in the air, Toshiro gave the impression of being extremely tired of being handled like a kid, but agreed with his Taichou.

"True. My Bankai training is moving along nicely. I'm sure I'll be fine."

At those words, Matsumoto was even more angered. "Why are you agreeing with him?"

Isshin left the two to their fierce teasing and was looking around the office for a treat he kept safe.

"Did you see my manju? I left it here."

Toshiro paused at that, it was time for diversion maneuvers.

"Taichou, I have something to report."

He guided Isshin to a stack of papers, but was interrupted.

"No, no. My manju comes first. I hid it to eat it afterwards. Did you see it? Did you?"

Toshiro snapped at the irritating conduct.

"How annoying, who cares about a manju? It was not that good to begin with anyway."

His omission was not lost to the Taichou.

"So, you ate it?! How dare you not give it importance. Naughty boy."

Resuming his cool attitude, Toshiro shot his Taichou a deadly glare, which momentarily calmed the man down.

"Do you remember the report from last month?"

Isshin was for a change rather serious.

"You mean from a couple days ago?"

Toshiro let a small sigh escape.

"Yes, but we're already in a new month, so naturally previous reports were logged in the past month. Anyway. The Shinigami assigned to Narukishi, an average size city died in an accident related to a Hollow attack."

"Yeah, I remember that one. It was the case involving the Shinigami of the Fifth and Thirteenth. They're still investigating what happened, though it is strongly believed both sides perished. That's also how that town fell under our jurisdiction."

"Yes, and last night two of our members died in a Hollow attack in the same city."

Those words were like a slap to the face to the normally unperturbed Taichou. Isshin turned to run, but Matsumoto's shout made him do a quick pause.

"Ah! Wait! Where are you going Taichou?!"

"To investigate. I leave the rest to you guys. I'll be gone for about two days. Make sure to take over."

Matsumoto tried to remind him he first had to report to the Sōtaichō, but the other was gone in a Shunpo too fast for her to follow.

"Damn it! Let's go after him Toshiro!"

The youngster disregarded and denied the request.

"No. Let him be. Taichou knows that this is a dangerous task. That's why he is going on his own and that is precisely why we must wait for him to return. You understand, don't you? With our current power, we would be in his way and in doing so jeopardize the success of the mission. We can only wait and take care of the division while he is gone."

Matsumoto hated that the little one was right. And she knew he was. There was no alternative. Shiba-Taichou was a monster when solemn and battle ready. His reiatsu would flatten the both of them to the ground. How could they fight alongside him, if they could not withstand their Taichou's reiatsu? Moving in a circle, she took a seat at her desk and checked for any remaining paperwork. Anything to get her mind away from the heavy atmosphere. She would take Sake a little later, when she felt more spirited.

* * *

Aizen Sosuke was having a stressful day. The night before he lost a precious sample, he was still missing his long-forgotten experiments and on top of that none of the cameras were working. Yet, he was not easily deterred. Taking one step at the time, he focused on fixing the recording devices. Adding extra Kido reinforcing spells, he assured they could not be destroyed as easily. He had to thank Gin for bringing him one of the broken gadgets from the Human World. If not, he would be even more behind schedule.

None of his subordinates found it unusual for their Taichou to close himself in the office during working hours. It was revision day and most Taichou's were checking their reports before submitting them to the Sōtaichō. Some of them going as far as triple checking everything. Thus, everyone in the Fifth found it normal for their Taichou's detached behavior.

Unaware of the detail that Aizen-Taichou had long ago finished his duties, but was using the extra time for illegal activities.

The very moment he finished his remaining touches on the upgraded machinery, he received a visit from Kaname Tousen. Right on time to hand over the now functional equipment. Having had a bit of tea the two shared a pleasant afternoon, ignorant to the latest development and the unexpected move of Shiba- Taichou. They agreed to meet in the lab at eight. He would make sure his plans moved along. After all, a few obstacles were to be expected on the path of becoming a God. Nothing would stand in his way and if there was a problem, he would crush it, reducing it to dust.

* * *

Night engulfed the World of the Living and one saddened Masaki had to leave her friends home. She managed to get along with her classmate **Shiho*** and was looking forward to another day of school where they could encounter and spend time together. Once back at the Ishida's home, she realized she had completely forgotten her 'Holy training'.

"Heh, ops! Hope aunty won't be upset."

She herself did not believe in those words. From the little she has learnt about aunt Else and the Ishida's, she knew she was in for scolding. Aunty was the Matriarch of the household and rank higher than her husband. If she was to go through the family scrolls, she would see that Else was the last of the Ishida's, while Soken belonged to a minor **Echt*** house. Therefore, her rules were law.

Else was strict since she had been raised in the Quincy believes of old. After the fall of the Emperor, many families argued on what was the proper conduct. To assist Shinigami or not. Seeing that the Shinigami did seal their King, many refused to have anything else to do with Soul Society. They strongly believed it was better to deal with problems on their own. Should a Hollow come to the Living World, they would not interfere and wait in the shadows and let the Shinigami take care of them. When the Shinigami failed, they took over and finished the Hollow off if it was close to their residence.

It was a system which preserved the purity of their blood and lineage. A Quincy bitten or damaged by a Hollow was considered Gemischt. Though, those bitten rarely survived. Only a powerful Echt Quincy could heal such a wound. Else herself had suffered a terrible wound on her leg. Thankfully the injury was sustained years after she gave birth to her son. Even thought, she was now a Gemischt, she proudly stood her ground and lead her clan with all the grace she possessed before the accident.

No one dared to take the authoritative title away from her. She got wounded while protecting her family and house from a horde of berserk Hollows. All involved witnessed her strength and power. The damage done to her leg should have been fatal, yet she persisted. Another reason why none were brave enough to remove her from her position.

She raised her son with the same believes and methods. Echts were too scarce and precious to be endangered by feeble emotions like compassion and sympathy. After all that happened and the second war, Quincy lost any desire to make amends with the Shinigami.

Else knew however, that her husband had been raised differently from her. He belonged to one of the few houses who tried to calm the situation and battles. They came from a distant lineage of consultants who used to be under the Sovereign and as such they made it their goal to stop any bloodshed between Quincy and Shinigami. Their focus on the tale of the first Lady Masaki who wedded a Shinigami. Yet, at the time their families were in a pinch. Both had but one heir to their dynasty and arranged Else and Soken's marriage when they were but kids. It took a lot of time, but in the end Else became fond of Soken. Their matrimony was perhaps not the best in the world, but they did everything they felt was right and correct. When in dilemmas, they talked to each other and most of the time could come to an agreement or a compromise.

In recent years, Soken had started doing things more privately, leaving Else out. That was a great blow to her pride as a Quincy, but even more so as a mother and wife. She had no qualms, she knew that Soken did not want for her to overexert her past injury. The arrival of the Heika and the little lady did not help her situation at all and the added stress was eating at the Lady of the House.

In just those few days, Masaki could tell that her Aunty was feeling lonely. The girl tried to reminisce her mother's stories about the Ishida's but thinking of her late family hurt a lot. Clearing her head, she went to her chambers, did her leftover homework, changed and refreshed just in time for dinner.

It seemed like the only ones' present were Else and Masaki. Ryuken was belayed by a school assignment, while Soken left for training at **Fünftes Feld***. Having been surrounded by so many powerful individuals, Soken felt the need to tone up his skills. He did leave a message to his wife notifying her of his leave. Though he omitted to say when he would be back.

During the meal Else tried to get a feel of how Masaki was raised and if she was a good match for her Ryuken.

"So, Masaki-san how was school?"

The air-headed girl did not hear the whole question, but answered anyway.

"Oh! Eh, you mean me? I am feeling rather well Aunty."

The elder lady retorted with a snappish: "I asked about school, not you."

Masaki realized she messed-up a little, but did lot let it bother her.

"Oh, school! Ah! It was delightful. I made lots of friends. Did you know you can get extra servings of cabbage and pickles for free at lunch!"

The energetic girl went on for several minutes about the days activities, until stopped by Else's next inquiry.

"Well, then. What about the 'Holy training'?"

At that Masaki stopped. She was not sure if Else was already aware she skipped the lesson.

"Ah, that, well… Umm, I'm taking baby steps."

Else looked at the girl blankly, only to erupt in a loud fit.

"What do you mean with 'baby steps'?"

Masaki's quiet "Sorry.", fell on deaf ears.

"Do you understand your position? Now that the predecessors died and you have no siblings means you are the last living member of the Kurosaki noble house. We have accepted to raise you as fellow Quincy. How can we do that if you neglect your duties toward your heritage and training?"

Masaki did look slightly mortified, but tried to raise her aunt's spirits.

"…I know, sorry… Dinner is delicious."

Her attempt obviously failed. However, she was saved by Ryuken's arrival.

"Mother! Please stop. You can be heard from even outside."

Else quietly exhaled, stood up and moved to the exit of the room.

"Excuse me, I will be retiring to my quarters. I'll have your meal prepared now. When you finish, contact Katagiri to tidy up."

Ryuken followed his mother's movements with his head.

"What about Heika and father?"

Else paused at the door, but did not meet her son's eyes.

"His Majesty contacted me and remorsefully informed he was busy with a business appointment. As for your father, he is at Funfest Feld. And I too, would like to know when he will be back."

She left, quietly closing the door behind. Ryuken turned to glance at Masaki.

"Masaki-san. Please forgive my mother. Lately she is very lonely and inappropriately directing all her ire on you."

Having finished her meal, Masaki too stood from her chair, cheerful as ever.

"What are you talking about Ryu-chan? Me? Forgive her for what? I'm not angry or upset, see? You shouldn't worry about little things like this Ryu-chan. Thanks for the food, I'll go back to my room too."

As she reached the door, she stopped just to give a quick advice.

"Oh, by the way today's shrimp gratin was to die for. If you don't want it, I'll eat your share later. See you!"

With that said, she ran leaving a dismayed Ryuken behind. Katagiri had been present in the kitchen when Lady Else asked for someone to attend to her son's meal. The young maid took the opportunity to serve the young master, hoping to get some alone time with him. For years, she's been hiding her crush, yet moments to see the young master alone were precious and she cherished each second, even though no one was aware. Hence, she embraced the opportunity to take the duty of her colleague.

"Young Master, the meal is ready. Can I prepare the table?"

Ryuken was surprised by Katagiri's sudden arrival. He had been so preoccupied he had overlook his surroundings. Still, he always had a small smile ready for her.

"Yes, please Katagiri."

With practiced ease, Katagiri prepared the table for her charge.

"Katagiri?"

"Yes? What is the matter Young Master?"

"… Masaki… I am sure she knows that mother allowed her into the Ishida family for the sole purpose of protecting our pure Quincy bloodline. Mother is hoping for an arranged marriage between the two of us."

Katagiri was saddened, but did her best not to show it.

"Did Else-sama talk about it with lady Masaki?"

"No, but Masaki is not stupid. I wonder if mother thinks she would not notice. To be frank… I'm not so sure Masaki would be joyful to marry me."

Those words hurt Katagiri profoundly and yet, she could not but be simultaneously content. Complacent. The carrying words made her speak quietly.

"The Young Master thinks that weddings among Quincy should be based on love. How kind."

Realizing she spoke aloud, she continued in an elated voice looking at Ryuken.

"I'm certain that your kindness will be more than enough to make lady Masaki very happy."

Ryuken looked out the window, it was getting cloudy and would probably rain in a little while.

"Preposterous. Why do you say I'm kind? I want Masaki to be happy, because if you are not happy you can't possibly look at the future positively. Not 'our' future, but that of the 'Quincy'."

Once again Katagiri was deeply perturbed by her protégé's train of thoughts. Yet, that is how he has been raised. She knew, for she had been present for the majority of his upbringing. She was first introduced and brought to be a maid at the tender age of six. It's been ten years since her first day. Not once had she thought less of her master. His education, the way he saw the world, the seriousness in which he took his duties, those were all characteristics she adored about him.

She was brought to the house to protect him with her very life. That was both her duty and, secretly, her greatest satisfaction. She dedicated her whole life around this one task. The well-being and future of her young Master. Lady Masaki brought a dash of freshness in a house constricted by rules and tradition. In the short span Masaki-sama was brought to the household, it felt more radiant. If Lady Masaki could bring more smiles to her young Master, Katagiri would endure her jealousy and be glad for Ryuken-sama. Even if Ryuken-sama was destined to be with another woman, she would be content as long as she could remain by his side and bask in his presence.

* * *

The day spent with Ossan had been very boring to one Shirosaki Ichirou. Cursed bureaucracy and the never-ending forms to fill and sign. Oh well, at least another annoying task out of the way. Masaki's adoption papers were completed, Ossan's company was moving along rather well. It was still early to say it was done, but it was a smooth operation. They had found a very nice place for the new headquarters. 'Law for Justice' was a renowned attorney firm offering advocates, counseling, litigators, legal professionals of all fields including criminalistics, detectives, forensic expert, investigators and all sorts of relevant services.

Its success laid in the abundant knowledge and righteousness the CEO possessed. Ossan had done an amazing job when he first opened the business and made sure it was 'hereditary'. As soon as Ossan hit a certain 'age' within the company, he would pass it on to his 'successor'. Basically, to the humans he would appear to age. Manipulating his reiatsu he would bring Shirosaki and introduce him as the next 'heir'. The two of them appeared relatives to the human eyes, while they in fact retained their same forms. Shirosaki spent the day proving he knew what he needed to do and assuring he would lead the company with the same fairness of his predecessor. As soon as that was done and out of the way, Ossan's old form would 'retire' and he would adopt the new semblances.

Shirosaki did not have to work, but he did often find it a pleasurable pastime. He did get the job as secretary and sometimes of an apprentice. Needless to say, he was good at each branch and field within the company. He could easily solve a crime-scene, contradict or defend a case, forensics was not his forte, but he knew a lot to pass as a junior freshman. As for the detectives, that was perhaps his greatest achievement. After all, it had been Shirosaki's idea to open the sector with private detectives and it did bring a lot of income.

All in all, it could have been worse, so he did not complain. The two spent the whole day together and dined out, having already advised the Ishida's of Ossan's arranged duty. Night fell and the two met Urahara and Yoruichi in her cat figure. It was decided that Urahara would stay behind with Tessai to protect Karakura and to alert them should the Hollow return. As promised, Urahara gave them two hooded raven black long cloaks with long sleeves. The material was most definitely unlike anything Shirosaki had seen before, like a blend of leather and cotton, but much more flexible and light. Shirosaki removed his own jacket and left it for Tessai-san, asking politely if it could be taken to his room. Once they put the cloaks on, they were amazed at how easily it concealed their reiatsu. Not that Ossan needed it, but it was a good precaution.

"Good, good. I see they work perfectly. Now in your inner left sleeve you will find a button. Should you find yourselves in a tricky situation, just press it and the cloak blend in with its surrounds just like a chameleon. The change requires a full second to complete and the best thing is, besides yourselves, no one else will be able to see you. These are prototypes, so please do treat them with care."

Figures the crazy scientist would use them as tests one way or another. Shirosaki rolled his eyes, while asking for directions. He could not remember the last time he had to go to Soul Society. It was a long time ago and he was never fond of the place. Yoruichi thankfully broke the silence.

"If I was to go to Soul Society, would you be able to open a Garganta to my location?"

Shirosaki smirked and nodded his head.

"Of course, as long as you get there and don't move I can find you and open a way."

Yoruichi made an understanding sound and within the blink of an eye disappeared in the night. Several tense minutes later, they were contacted via transmitters that she was ready and waiting for them.

Shirosaki had to admit it was not easy. The cat was small and he could barely sense her in the other dimension. Concentrating he managed to pin-point her whereabouts and opened a Garganta. The two came in a desolate ruined place. At first glance Ossan thought Shirosaki may have made a mistake, but that idea was washed away once he noticed Yoruichi climbing down a tree. She hopped nonchalantly on Shirosaki's shoulder who gave her a disapproving look.

"What? Are you not going to offer assistance to a lady in need?"

Shirosaki continued to stare the cat blankly, not in the least amused.

"You know you could always stand on Ossan's shoulders instead of mine."

"But you are at the perfect height, any higher and it would not be as enjoyable."

As to prove her point, she lightly stretched and made herself even more comfortable.

"Che. Whatever, so where is this hideout."

Yoruichi pointed to a devastated building with the tip of her tail. The two advanced to the indicated spot and froze. Shirosaki was no good with barriers, but he could tell this one was something else. As predicted it was as a protection and alarm system, but it also worked as a monitor. Ossan cautiously approached the barrier and inspected it with calculating eyes. Many minutes later he spoke.

"I believe it will be better to use the blending button. Shirosaki go ahead and press it, I will do the same."

So, they did. Once they were 'invisible' Ossan placed the palm of his hand on the ward. Shirosaki gulped, if they were found they would lose the element of surprise. Yet, nothing happened. Shirosaki was looking back and forth between Ossan and his hand, trying to figure out what was going on. He was so deep in thought that he nearly missed Ossan's statement.

"Go ahead Shirosaki it will let you through. Once you pass it will be my turn."

Shirosaki did as told. Passing the barrier made him get goosebumps. Whoever made the damned thing was extremely skilled and strong. Ossan soon followed in his steps. Together they cautiously proceeded and came in front of a closed door. They appeared to be right in time to hear a light conversation between three male individuals. The first voice was calm and surprisingly soothing to the ear.

"What a surprise. The Taichou of the Tenth division. Why is he there?"

The next voice was more uptight and severe.

"He did not report that he was going."

A third one joined in, seeming to be overly excited.

"Oh-ho. He went without permission. Poor Isshin will be scolded. But this is no good. It will cause us some trouble."

He may have said so, but it sounded like he was looking forward to the issue at hand. The first voice could be heard speaking.

"That's fine. An unexpected harvest. I want to see it closer. Is there a way?"

Shirosaki shivered, that tone had been so deceitful. It may have been tranquil, but there is a hidden feverish fervor which quite literally made him sick. They heard sounds of moving chairs and machinery. Making a quick decision, the two plus a cat, moved to the sides. And they were barely on time, for the door opened to reveal three leaving figures.

As soon as the three were out of sight, they received an urgent call from Urahara.

"Everyone can you hear me? We have a little problem, our friend from last night came back and is engaged in a battle against a Taichou."

* * *

 _Sheesh, my Muse and I have overestimated the appearance of a certain someone. I did say two chapters, but I may have spoken too soon. As you can see, Muse-sama is telling me to make the story timeline and flow nicer, so I regret to inform we are delaying the arrival of a little protector for at least one more chapter. Though, with the way I've been typing away, it may take me a little longer. My humblest apologies. I do hope the tale is at least compensation enough to appease any anger._

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ***Shiho*** = Japanese name meaning 'Will and sail'. 志 (shi) is the aspiration and aim to achieve what you put your efforts into. 苑 (ho) is to walk. It's a wish to walk upon life correctly. I've got the name from the Manga itself and couldn't leave it unexplained. Once I saw the meaning being 'will and sail' it reminded me of a boat. Wonder why? Maybe because I will have to embark soon. Just a few more days left before my departure :(

 ***Fünftes Feld*** = German for Fifth field. Tried to keep part one as accurate as possible with an influx of my own x3

 ***Echt*** = German for 'real', written in Japanese it means 'Pure-Blooded'.

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night :D_


	25. Chapter 25

_Hello :)_

 _Chapter XXV_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

I did promise to inform when the dreaded day comes for me to re-join ships and be absent for a while. I'm afraid this will be the last chapter until the end of my contract. It does not mean I am stopping the story. Hell no! I'm determined to see this one through till the end. I will continue once I return. I will do my best to write on-board, but please note it is going to be tough. Lack of internet along with nonexistent free time is a huge bummer. But I've got to make a living. Whenever I get the chance to write and post new chapters, I will. In the meantime, please enjoy this one ^.^

* * *

 _Chapter XXV_

Haschwalth's day had been remarkably smooth at the exception of the Hollow reiatsu felt early in the morning. Bazzard and his team just reached Karakura when they first sensed the blast. At the same instance, it was gone. Thankfully, it could not be traced back. Therefore, it was just noted as a quick skirmish between the local Shinigami and a Hollow. Although he knew better, his Majesty did inform him it had been one of Shirosaki's slips. That youngster still had to learn how to properly control his mood-swings. Haschwalth took a mental note to re-educate Shirosaki at the earliest convenience.

All in all, it had been a peaceful day. The units were sent to their respective cities. Each troop was equipped with the latest transmitter and had the task to report any abnormalities. Everything was going according to plan. The group in Karakura claimed Hollow activities was caused due to a large amount of reishi scattered within the city and its neighboring town. A similar account came from those in Narukishi. It was obvious that Hollows were targeting those towns for that reason alone, which in turn meant more Shinigami and more Shinigami called forth extra Hollows. A never-ending circle.

As for the other members scattered around the globe, they had yet to submit full reports. However, judging by the initial accounts, it seemed to be residual reishi from a time those cities or locations had been the jureichi of their times. Still, it was his duty to assure the precision of the data he had to present to the Regent and opted to wait for more details.

Haschwalth let out a small sigh. Heika had asked him to get Soren's trust. A most tedious and unpleasant mission, in his opinion. Just to stay put and not rip the other's throat was a difficult job on itself, but pretending to submit to his every whim was worse. Knowing the treacherous man killed his own son in a crazed desire for power, made Haschwalth sick. Yet, he would attempt to do it. No, he absolutely had to do it. For the Emperor and for the Denka, his lost pupil. He had to find a way into Soren's close circle.

From the information shared between Heika, Shirosaki and himself, Soren's reiatsu was found lingering on a stone in the World of the Living. Specifically, close to the now destroyed mansion. They believed he must have conspirators and uses the forest as an assembly point. Haschwalth did recall that during the planning for the attack on the manor, Soren did leave Wandenreich on more than one occasion. Now, he knew where he went. The fact that he himself had not been invited is solid proof of schemes.

And that was one of the many motives why it was so imperative Haschwalth won Soren's approval. If he could somehow convince Soren he was dependable, they would have inner intel on anything and everything the man planned.

The problem laid in the execution. How to cheat a cheater? Deceit a deceiver? Lie a liar? Trick a trickster? Haschwalth had always despised con-artists and that sentiment did not change in all the centuries past. Not that time passed in Wandenreich. After all, Wandenreich was wrapped in time and space. Not only did his Majesty create a barrier strong enough to blend within the shadows of Soul Society, but he made it so that time did not affect them in the least. Had it not been made in this fashion, they would have aged and disappeared long ago. The Emperor's foresight never chases to amaze the Grandmaster.

Yet, he had more important things to worry about. First and foremost, there were files he had to finish and paperwork to be given to the _Regent_ on top of sorting out a method to earn that man's confidence. Haschwalth stood from his office and went to meet Soren in the throne room. Whenever the two had to meet, of all possible places within Silbern, Soren insisted it to be there. It was most likely Soren's ways of displaying his authority. Such an irrelevant notion. Everyone knew who ruled, even when the King was absent. He knocked on the door as per usual and waited for the same muffled permission to enter. He was instantly greeted by the despicable man.

"Ah! Haschwalth right on time. What news do you bring?"

Haschwalth pulled the same device he used last time and gave the updates to the Regent.

"We are pending results from the units sent to Cozumel, Mexico and Cape Town, South Africa. Though so far, I dare say Hollows are abundant in the targeted towns due to having been jureichi in their past. I did make an extended research which confirms this theory. Nonetheless, as soon as we get the final data, I will notify you."

Soren paced back and forth for a few minutes, processing the latest information.

"Jureichi or 'Important Spirit Ground', the point in the Human World that possesses the greatest concentration of spiritual beings. Its location varies every few centuries, yet in the past hundred years there were already two alterations and we are on the verge of a third. Any possibility to pinpoint which will be the next jureichi?"

Haschwalth swiftly typed on the contraption with his right hand, his left busy holding the item in place. Every single calculation and move made, was seen on the wall. Soren paid extreme attention to each move and each step Haschwalth made. Soren already knew that the result should be unidentifiable as the jureichi was not fully settled. Nevertheless, it was to be somewhere between Karakura and Narukishi. What Soren did not know, was that Haschwalth was already aware of the same thanks to the Emperor.

Soon Haschwalth paused, the screen showed the mentioned discrepancy.

"Hmm… It seems unstable, as though it is not firmly established. There are indications that it will be in either Karakura or Narukishi. Regrettably, it is not clear which of the two or if both will become the jureichi. My apologies Lord Soren."

Having apologized, he lightly bowed. It wasn't a common occurrence, but Haschwalth always did so when he could not get a hundred percent correct data. Soren basked at the sight. He so adored to push people around, but even more, he cherished every single second he could get the Grandmaster down. His lock-down was more for Soren's enjoyment as well as for fear the other would find and release the Sealed King. He could not let that happen. Soren now had to play the role of a benevolent and forgiving leader, yet another action he loved.

"Never mind Haschwalth. Good job on getting this much. Considering the lack of particles, you had to work with, it is an amazing result all the same."

Soren had done this test for three reasons. One to test Haschwalth's capabilities and knowledge. Rare where those who knew what the jureichi was, not to mention how to trace it down. Second, he wanted to check if Haschwalth would show how he conducted the search or would try to conceal his moves. Basically, he was inspecting how the task was performed and if he would be true with the outcome. Recently, Soren had doubted Haschwalth's loyalties, but it seemed he had him right where he wanted, under his control. And third, he wanted to see if Haschwalth would admit defeat and how he would behave. After all, he basked in the others humiliation.

At the moment, everything moved according to plans, excluding Masaki's continuous search, Shirosaki's rebirth and the dead dolls. He would have to make more and fast.

"I see we already have feedbacks from the squads in Karakura and Narukishi, yet no signs of Lady Masaki. An explanation would be great."

Haschwalth opened the files on the display and analyzed them with the Regent.

"The investigation within Karakura was completed rather fast, but efficiently. Excluding the Hollow attack and the two Shinigami, nothing else could be detected and there were no other abnormalities. As for Narukishi, they took a bit longer due to the constant movement of the Shinigami. While in Karakura they traveled in unison, in Narukishi they separated often and our men had to lay low. Several minor Hollow attacks, but no other residues or leads. There has been an interesting report from the troop sent to Tallinn, Estonia, allow a moment for it to be shown…"

Haschwalth tapped at the keyboard a couple of time and revealed the wanted data.

"Quincy reiatsu was found in the following order: The Cathedral of St. Mary, Kiek in de Kök and Bastion Passage, Danish King's Garden and Maiden Tower where the trace disappears. It was rediscovered around the Holy Spirit Church and lead to the Great Coastal Gate and the 'Large' Margaret's Tower. From there, our members were guided by minuscule particles to the port."

Soren inspected carefully each spot mentioned on the map. There was something with Quincy and churches, but he wondered what was so special about this intelligence.

"Care to elaborate? It is common knowledge that Quincy frequent old jureichi towns as well as churches and similar locations."

Haschwalth would have smirked, if he was allowed. Instead, he continued as per normal.

"Any and all Quincy reiatsu remains, nowadays, are exclusively around Japan where the last family heads reside or resided. Signals out of Japan, at this point, are suspicious. This reiatsu is fresh, not stagnant and very similar to our missing Lady."

Soren connected the dots. A huge smile broke on his face, invisible thanks to the cover, but tangible from his posture. Finally, something new.

"Excellent. Superb. Now we need to find her and figure out how she left the country in the first place."

Haschwalth, ready as always, had the solution at hand.

"We have backtracked the case to the cottage Bazzard Black inspected along with the second investigation team. The reason for the many obstacles was to hinder our arrival and trespassing before the portal closed. Once outside the manor, Lady Masaki must have made it to the cottage where she rested and recovered. Then, at the peak of her strength, she must have used the prearranged gateway which took her out of the country. I sincerely doubt the portal took her straight to Estonia. Hypothetically, she should have journeyed across several nations. Humans have, for unknown reasons, built churches in most locations where these doorways lay dormant, hence the reason for Quincies to be around churches, besides the 'holy' part."

Soren was ecstatic. Haschwalth was truly worthy of his title. If only he could turn the guy from his dedication toward the King, he would be a great asset to his slowly rising army. It would be so much easier with a man of Haschwalth's skills. Soren would find a way to sway the blonde man sooner or later, somehow. Not that he would brag about it, but he had spent a long time researching poisons and potions. They are easy to administer and are not messy. It took a lot of time to prepare them, not to mention the myriads of tests needed before achieving the desired goal. His inner musing was interrupted by Haschwalth's tender tenor.

"I have in mind to regroup our men as soon as all units return and appoint a new mission. With your permission Lord Soren, would it be acceptable to send them through some of those portals and see where they end up? That way we could see if there is a pattern to the entry and exit points. The problem with the gateways is that once used they are gone for a certain period of time. We could experiment to learn the amount of time they take to re-generate and track Lady Masaki with more efficiency. Yet, I wonder…"

Soren had been so happy at the prospect of getting Masaki that he missed most of the conversation. However, the pause did make him focus.

"Go on Haschwalth. What is it that you wanted to say?"

Haschwalth returned to the map of Tallinn.

"It's just wrong. The trail starts at the church which is logical, but ends in the port. The King never did put any of the portals near rivers, seas or oceans. I wonder if our little lady is traveling with someone, a servant who is adept at human traveling? That would explain why the reiatsu leaked and why it went in the direction of the port."

Soren paled behind his mask, not that you could see, but the way his shoulders stiffened was a telltale.

"You think she is on a boat?"

His response was a light nod of the head. From good to bad in zero point one second. Soren started striding around the room in circles again, visibly upset. Though, if he was honest, he was thankful Haschwalth was so good at what he did. He himself would not have come to the same conclusion for another day or two and by then who knew if they would ever find another lead.

Haschwalth on the other side remained as controlled as ever, but if you were to enter his mind, you would see him doing a victory dance. Bait, hook and sinker just as his Majesty anticipated. Heika and Shirosaki had set-up the whole thing in an attempt to give Masaki-sama an opportunity to live a normal life. And, as an added bonus, it spectacularly messed-up with Soren's head. By the end of the game, the Regent will not know where is up or down. The whole process should buy them a decade or two, more or less. Afterwards, the Emperor would turn the tables around and restart from a completely different angle.

Haschwalth saw the agitation in Soren's movements. Really, you'd have to be blind and deaf not to realize from his rushed march. Haschwalth knew he would have to give another 'helpful' suggestion, if he had any desires to finish for the evening.

"My Lord, the crew is still in Estonia. Would you wish me to request they get information on which ships left port in the past few days? I am positive we will get more clues once all vessels are segregated and sorted by type. We can already eliminate cargo, containers, dry-bulk carriers and tanker ships. Consequently, concentrate on passenger vessels: cruise ships, sea and ocean liners, sailing ships and ferries."

Soren stopped in his tracks. Not bad at all. Even if Haschwalth was prohibited from leaving Wandenreich, he kept up to date with all the goings in the World of the Living. The young man sure did take his position seriously. Must be why he was as efficient as he was.

"Very well, a splendid idea as usual Haschwalth. Please do the needed. Oh, look at the time! Any more and I'll be late to an appointment. I fully entrust you with the operation. Continue to keep me posted. You may be excused."

Haschwalth was surprised the Regent told him he had an errand, but did not let it be seen. He bowed and left, going back to his quarters. Preparing all errands as agreed with the Regent while walking. Sorting out so much data in little time was as easy as breathing. An acquired dexterity, practiced to the maximum and now a habit. Doing two or three things simultaneously could easily distract many, but to Haschwalth it was like drinking a glass of water. At court, it was expected of him to follow conversations, take notes and look for potential threats.

He remembered his Majesty's instructions when he was a teen. It was thanks to the King he was able to broaden his mind and develop his multitasking talent. All those teachings, he improved and polished to the upmost. Haschwalth in turn gave those same lessons to the Denka. Such a fine student, quick to learn once you showed him the ropes. Most importantly, Denka had always been eager to know and continuously did his best, expanding and refining everything grasped and learnt.

He had to clear his head to shake memories away. If he was to reflect too deeply, he would probably end the night by returning to the throne room and skin Soren from head to toe. That would have to wait a little longer. Once in the comfort of his chambers, he locked the door and pulled out, what appeared to be a royal blue and silver mini communicator. The item had but one black button. When pressed, it bonded with its twin which was in the hands of his Majesty. Distance mattered not, as both devices operated via reiatsu. Moments later he heard a small click sound, indicating a successful connection between the distant machines. He waited to hear the agreed tapping signals before speaking.

"Stallion to Hawk, stage one is complete. Phase two, in motion and will be in full force by mid-morning. ' **Harlequin*** ' is leaving for a get-together with possible other jesters as we speak."

"Hawk to Stallion, noted. A cloaked Moon will cast its shadows on Harlequin. Fresh air will be in Eldritch when you get the chance to soar. Let me know by **Solar noon***. Over."

At the end of the short conversation Haschwalth let out a healthy chuckle. The two of them along with Shirosaki came up with an easy coding. Amusing and childish, but simple and unexpected for someone like his Majesty. There was no way anyone would ever believe he was talking to the Emperor in codes and riddles. Yet, it was a safety precaution, in the event that someone was to spy on Haschwalth's moves or the areas he frequented.

Shirosaki was the one to insist his Majesty took the code name 'Stallion' and Haschwalth 'Hawk'. He easily guessed why 'Hawk' for himself. Though, why 'Stallion' for the King when it could have been any other animal? Surely 'Dragon', 'Panther' or 'Tiger' would have been more apt. He simply could not understand. Yet Heika seemed to know something as he heard a small snicker from the Sovereign at the Hollow's demand.

'A cloaked Moon will cast its shadows on Harlequin'. Easy. 'Cloak' was for the Emperor's dark mantle, 'Moon' for Shirosaki. It meant the two would follow the ' _Harlequin'_ and his moves. A fool who thinks he is smarter than everyone else, befitting of Soren and his trickery. There was a minor debate weather to use 'Harlequin' or 'Loki', but they ended up choosing the first as a deceiving factor. The way he was told to speak freely in the Eldritch room when he got the time, was a dead give-away. He would have to report by noon if he could make it or not. More than enough time to plan his daily activities.

Who would have thought they would be reduced to encrypted speech? It certainly was better than the alternative. To avoid being caught off guard, Haschwalth took a few comedies with Harlequin as the main protagonist. Should anyone barge in on him, they would guess he had been reading aloud, immersed in the tale. He smiled, it was about time to rest.

* * *

It took longer than expected for Isshin to reach the World of the Living. When Toshiro told him that his squad members died, he didn't think, he rushed. His gut feeling told him there was more to the case than met the eyes. Three deaths in less than a month raised all kinds of red flags. What was the cause? Are Shinigami the only victims or where there more? How could the culprit attack and leave without anyone noticing? He was plagued by so many questions to which he had no answers. It was maddening.

With Shunpo, he flashed from place to place and soon came to the border between cities. As per the coordinates, this was where the first death happened. A brash Shinigami from the Fifth with an attitude problem, but very talented. Aizen-Taichou well known to be extremely particular when selecting new-recruits fresh from the academy. Those chosen were exceedingly strong in at least one form of **Zankensoki***. So, here comes the hardest question 'How could a powerful youth be killed without alerting the radars?' From their intel, there was a short battle between the kid and a Hollow, neither winning as both perished. What annoyed him was the fact that the information was only found out hours after the incident occurred and that was thanks to the girl of the Thirteenth. The poor girl went through Hell for doing her duty.

Isshin shook his head and concentrated on the feel of the air. Nothing. That was weird. Even if it has been days, he should be able to get at least something. Alas there was not even a speck of reiatsu left. The Sun was setting, he better hurry to the area where his men died if he wanted to find anything out. He flashed to his next destination within Narukishi.

 _'Damn. Whatever happened here it was intense.'_

There wasn't much reiatsu left to tell him exactly what occurred, but the little he could sense made him realize his crew stood no chance. Whoever the Hollow had been, must have made it out unscratched. But there was a lingering feeling of something else… something he had never encountered before.

 _'Could it be that the Hollow left because of this mysterious power? But how and why? What could be out here dangerous enough to chase away a Hollow? Could it be another one? Maybe an even stronger Hollow? Yet, it doesn't give that vibe. It is muttered as though it is concealed. Better check with the newly assigned guys to this town if they have any useful info.'_

Having made his mind, Isshin took a few steps before relying on Shunpo. It took no time for the Shiba branch head to find his men. One of them has short wavy black hair which appeared to have never seen a brush. The other is much more elegant with smooth short ashen-brown short hair and long bangs. The bangs were neatly split toward the left side, leaving a small lock behind his right ear, the rest swept to the left. The two men seemed to be in their early thirties, but were probably older. They watched the sky with worried expressions. The dark haired one spoke up first.

"It's getting cloudy. A bad omen, I tell you. You know the guys before us died when it started to rain, right? Before that, everything was fine, just like today."

The ashen-brown shivered and snapped back at his companion.

"Scary. You're going to hex us if you continue saying stuff like that. So, stop!"

"No, really. Even the dude from the Fifth met his maker on a rainy evening."

Their light bickering was put to a stop when they heard a childish voice from their backs making them jump out of their skins.

"I see, so rainy days are dangerous, huh? Nice! Thanks for the tip."

Both males surprised exclaimed "Shiba-Taichou!" while their Captain started to mumble loudly to himself.

"So, I came at a good time. I'm really glad I did not come for nothing."

The dark-haired Shinigami recovered first and nervously spoke up.

"Why did you come here Taichou?! We were not expecting you."

Isshin looked back at his subordinates, trying to find an excuse.

"Hmm? Me? Oh… I was looking for a toilet and got lost."

The two were even more shocked at the nonchalant response and shouted: "Lamest lie of all times!"

Isshin was not bothered in the least and turned to look at the city, unworried to leave his back open to his underlings.

"Ah, oh well. No big deal. Anyway, you two, if it starts to rain, I want you to go home early. I want to pee alone."

The last sentence was said so solemnly and with a seriousness not witnessed often from the cheerful Taichou. The two swallowed and decided to give their Taichou some space by moving a couple of buildings away.

* * *

Aizen met his companions in the lab. The day had been stressful, but it was about to get better. Their cameras were re-set and in perfect working condition, proved when they were able to see clearly Narukishi. The only downside was the unknown fate of their last experiment. Based on the mini-chip they placed inside the subject, the experiment was living on. Well, as much as you could expect from a Hollowfied dead Shinigami. Honestly, when he gave the suggestion, Aizen never thought the sample would have been such a success. They were on the right track.

But tonight, they were playing with a different examination, while waiting for the previous victim to return. They were trying to see if Hollows themselves could be subjected to an additional Hollowfication. He came in time to see the first results.

"Well then. Did we get anything?"

Gin was the first to see him come and responded with a small.

"Oh! Good evening. Nope. Nothing at all."

Tousen, on the other side, gave the full data.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't work. We were able to equip Hollows with targeted Hollowfication. However, the whole project is virulent and will not function with normal souls nor the souls of division members."

A little disappointing, but not unforeseen.

"I see. It's fine. Soon we'll be able to find out the whereabouts of Hirako Shinji's group. I am positive the last experiment will come out again and lure Shinji's gang from hiding. When that occurs, we will be able to continue our study on both cases. Almost like killing two birds with one stone. Let us be patient. Everything will go according to our plans."

It wasn't long after he uttered those words, that a beeping came from one of the many machines. Gin moved to see what was causing the commotion.

"Oh? Aizen-Taichou, we just found the misplaced specimen. It just came out from a Garganta and is roaming around Narukishi. And even better, it knows how to hide it's reiatsu. Must have learnt a new trick while away."

Aizen smirked, pleased to hear the news. Not only was it a success, but it even improved in the short time its been absent. Superb. Now they just had to sit and wait. Battle pheromones will spread and attract Hirako Shinji and his misfits. He was about to turn from that screen, when there was a sudden energy outburst.

Aizen searched for the source of that reiatsu. He knew it did not belong to their Hollow. Therefore, it was logical someone was trying to draw their test away from its designated task. In the time it took for him to readjust the spying devices, the battle between their Hollow and the unknown reiatsu began. And then, finally, one of the cameras locked on to a most unexpected sight.

"What a surprise. The Taichou of the Tenth division. Why is he there?"

At those words, Tousen visibly stiffened.

Gin was the only one who seemed to be having a real good time as he merrily declared.

"Oh-ho. He went without permission. Poor Isshin will be scolded. But this is no good. It will cause us some trouble."

He may have said so, but it sounded like he was looking forward to the issue at hand. Aizen smiled a deranged and sadistic smile which would give even the devil a run for his money.

"That's fine. An unexpected harvest. I want to see it closer. Is there a way?"

As he spoke, he turned to face his partners. Gin was happily nodding his head, while Tousen just gave a curt nod. Nothing else needed to be said. Tousen pulled out from one of the cupboards three long black coats and matching hats. Once donned, the three made their way out of the laboratory to open a Senkaimon. None of them aware they just 'invited' three figures hidden near the entrance.

* * *

Shirosaki was uncertain. He so wanted to go back to the World of the Living and kick some buts. It was the most profitable night since they returned to Japan and he was missing all the action. After all, back home there were a powerful Hollow and four Taichou.

Ossan on the other hand was not as worried. There was no point in going back if a Taichou was engaged. Also, another opportunity like this would not present itself again for quite some time. They were in their rival's den. A golden chance to search for the orb unhindered. Having made up his mind, he spoke up loud enough to be heard by his colleagues and the scientist back in the Human World.

"We hear you loud and clear Urahara-san. However, there are some updates from our side as well. Aizen and his associates have left to see live the ongoing fight. We can't risk exposing Shirosaki or myself and on top of that, we do have access to their workshop as we speak. Keep us posted in case we need to retreat and assist the Taichou. But do also keep tabs on Aizen's moves. We may never again get such favorable circumstances."

The three waited a moment to hear the verdict, which came accompanied by a sigh.

"You do have a valid point. Anyway, I was not able to deactivate Aizen's gadgets this time around. But I did manage to hack into the system, so I'll tell you what goes on. Please do be careful. I doubt Aizen would leave the lab unsupervised."

With that said and done, Shirosaki exhaled disappointedly. So much about having some fun tonight. If the Taichou was any good, he will use Bankai and eliminate the Hollow in a couple of moves. Oh, well. No point in crying over spilled milk. Such a let-down. Meh, he'd have to go into his inner world and get a few rounds with Zangetsu. It was about time. Yet recently, it seemed like he never had enough time to do it properly and by properly he meant with a solid barrier.

Ossan opened the door and the three were met by an endless wall of screens. Just how much technology did these guys use? Shirosaki's eyes zeroed on the display showing the remnants of an experiment gone wrong. Gazing intently, he saw notes explaining the process and outcome. Sheesh, the poor gooey thing used to be a Hollow. Forcing a Hollow into one more Hollowfication? The heck?! Like that could ever work. It was like adding water on top of water. He shivered. If that was what they were doing to Hollows, what would they do to him? He shivered at the mere thought and concentrated on the job at hand.

Ossan too was perturbed at the sight of so many tests. From what he could tell, these were the most recent ones. He saw the ongoing battle between the Hollow and Taichou. With any luck the Taichou would win and put the unfortunate soul at rest. Just as he was about to remove his eyes from the display, he saw the Taichou received an unexpected deep wound to his back. There was no way the Hollow could have done that damage. He approached the keyboard and rewind the tape. Ah, looks like one of the concealed men attacked from behind.

That meant they were running out of time. He closed his eyes and expanded his senses. Intently seeking for any signs, the gem might be in this establishment. He could tell, Shirosaki was doing the same and focused to synchronize their energies, simplifying the difficult job.

Yoruichi realized she was not needed and pouted. What was a woman to do to get a man's attention? She understood it was a delicate process, but she would have appreciated it more if they had told her what they were doing. Perhaps, they finally realized her beauty perfectly matched her intelligence. Feeling much better, she hopped from Shirosaki's neck and dedicated her attention to what was going on in the Living World.

Shortly her two companions let out exasperated groans. Well, more like Shirosaki compensated for the two as the Emperor's sigh was inaudible. Ossan spoke with a sad tone.

"I am afraid it is not within this facility."

Shirosaki nodded and added.

"Yeah, he did bring it at one point and probably used it too, but it's not here right now. Do you think he is keeping it in Seireitei? Risky, but audacious. Could be that he is doing it on purpose. To have a dangerous item under the Shinigami's nose. What do you think Ossan?... Ossan?"

Shirosaki turned around to look at Ossan who was not answering. He was about to taut the man for not listening, but he too was rendered speechless. The screens focused on the battle in the World of the Living showed a most chilling image. Masaki held the Hollow by the neck and blasted him away with an arrow.

 _'Shit! When did she get involved? And why were they not made aware?!'_

Shirosaki was pissed and made it known by yelling out loud.

"Oi! Getabōshi! What's the meaning of this?! Why is Masaki fighting?! Wasn't your Taichou supposed to beat him? And why the Hell did you not tell us she got mixed into this mess?!"

The response did not appease his anger in the least.

"What do you mean Shirosaki-san? I've been trying to communicate with all of you for the past few minutes. There were interferences from your side. Though, I'm not sure what could have generated said obstruction."

Ossan understood. Their combined hunt for the Hogyoku must have meddled with the delicate devices. And by the looks of things, Aizen and his men were on their way back.

"It's alright. I didn't think our pursuit for the fragment would have tampered with your equipment Urahara-san. Shirosaki, Yoruichi-san, let us go. Those three should be back at any moment now."

Shirosaki would have continued to curse the scientist and his faulty gadgets, but refrained only because Ossan said the traitors were getting back to base. It was better if they left now, before they got caught. Yoruichi took that moment to jump back on Shirosaki's comfy shoulders. They were right on time too, for as soon as they left the building and the barrier a **Shōji*** door opened for the three conspirators. Out of the three, the one with purple hair appeared to be the most upset. The brown-haired one was calm with a dash of excitement. The last one could be considered a sly fox in disguise. Eyes narrowed to slits, silver hair and a creepy smile.

If Shirosaki remembered correctly that was supposed to be the double agent guy. Sheesh, how in the world were they to get close to such a man without compromising their mission? Not that they would do it now. Plenty of time to overcome that difficulty, but not tonight.

Once the three were out of sight and back in their lab, Ossan gave Shirosaki a quick nod which was their unspoken signal to open a Garganta to the Urahara Shoten. Shirosaki raised his hand ready to get the task done, when they heard a minuscule ding and vibrations. Giving Shirosaki a pointed look, Ossan rummaged through his coat and pulled a communicator. It was the one he got from Haschwalth. He moved to get away from the desolated area while making a series of tapping noises. The machine was made in such a way that only he would hear what was said.

"Stallion to Hawk, stage one is complete. Phase two, in motion and will be in full force by mid-morning. ' **Harlequin*** ' is leaving for a get-together with possible other jesters as we speak."

Those were not good news. But he understood and promptly responded.

"Hawk to Stallion, noted. A cloaked Moon will cast its shadows on Harlequin. Fresh air will be in Eldritch when you get the chance to soar. Let me know by **Solar noon***. Over."

Yoruichi was a little baffled that the man was talking to himself, but noticed how Shirosaki waited patiently for something. Ossan glanced at Shirosaki and realized the cat was questioning what was going on. Thus, he took it upon himself to clear the situation.

"There is a slight change in our next destination. Haschwalth just told me Soren is scheming one thing or the other. If it's alright with you Yoruichi-san, I would like to witness what he plans. That goes for you too Urahara-san."

Yoruichi had no issues which was soon confirmed by Urahara via their transmitters.

"Perfect. Shirosaki do you think you could open the Garganta to the forest near the destroyed mansion?"

Shirosaki took a deep breath and concentrated closing his eyes in the process. Once he connected with the location he reopened his eyes and flicked his hand opening the black void.

"Let's go. With any luck we will get there before him."

Those words were ushered with his usual smirk in place and before he entered the Garganta he felt a firm grip on his left arm. He did not need to see who it was. He knew Ossan was giving support but also a silent warning. He scoffed and quietly said.

"Don't worry Ossan. I know, I'll keep cool. After all, vengeance is a dish best served cold."

With those ominous words the three were swallowed by darkness.

* * *

Isshin stood atop one of the tallest buildings in Narukishi, determination firmly placed on his face. He wanted to make sure he was the first to encounter the unknown menace. His two subordinates were doing a poor job at spying, but he knew there was no point in telling them to buzz-off. It's been an hour since he came and finally, a light drizzle commenced.

Out of sight, the two members of the Tenth were lost. The black-haired one started a light conversation.

"It's raining. What should we do? He told us to go home."

He was immediately reprimanded by his partner.

"Idiot! If we go back to Soul Society, we will be demoted! Do you want that?! We can just stay here for the time being. Taichou will definitely do something about this crazy situation."

The two had no idea just how correct they were.

 _'I've looked everywhere and from all I gathered the only casualties were the Shinigami. Shinigami being targeted means that they are the final goal, or that it's a reaction to powerful reiatsu. If it's the latter, I could try to attract them with reiatsu.'_

Finalizing his inner monologue, Isshin grabbed his Zanpakuto and raised his reiatsu, scaring his subordinates who had never felt that much reiatsu coming from their Taichou. At that moment, a scream pierced the night. Isshin turned in the direction of the scream. Something or someone attacked his men instead of him.

"Shit! So, it didn't react to my reiatsu?"

He was about to Shunpo to his, now, former members, but there was a sudden loud noise behind him. Glancing over his shoulder he was astonished.

"What… what is that?! A black Hollow?"

As thought the monstrosity heard him, it slowly turned around, staring him down, only to erupt in a loud roar, stupefying the Shinigami Taichou.

"Wow. I see. It is completely black and has a closed hole, but this reiatsu is definitely a Hollow's."

Not a second later, the Hollow attacked him head on and he unsheathed his Zanpakuto.

* * *

At the Ishida's household, within the warmth of her room, Masaki was considering her options. Everything that happened in the past few days was catching up with her, it was sad. First her family was murdered, then she was found by Heika and Shirosaki-san. She met her cousins and really wanted to stay with them, but she felt like a burden, a burden that could be a potential bride to continue the purity of their race.

By the little she sensed from the Emperor, he did not appear to be extensively strict. Sure, he was strong, but fair and kind. He even went as far as giving her the liberty and opportunity to choose her own path. That did not mean the Ishida's were the same. That did not mean the Ishida's were the same.

She liked Ryuken and came to call him Ryu-chan out of friendship. She herself did not know when she first used the pet-name, but Ryuken went along, so she was assured it was fine. If that was not the case, Ryuken would have told her from the beginning. She also became very fond of everyone in the house. Soken-san, Lady Else, the servants, especially Cord-san and Katagiri-san. They all became very precious to her in little time. And yet, she could not but feel depressed from time to time. She was not sure staying was the best solution, but then what could she do? Traveling with Heika and Shirosaki-san could be fun, but would lose all the friends she made at school.

All those conflicting thoughts confused and plagued her mind. She felt so lost. She was brought out of her depression when she felt two huge reiatsu signatures.

 _'I can feel an incredibly powerful reiatsu getting closer. A Hollow and… another one. Oh, no! It's the same monster from yesterday. I have to help.'_

Just like that, all negative thoughts dispersed and were replaced by a need to assist, so, she ran. She paused at the main door by a calm voice.

"Where are you going Masaki? No, I suppose there is no need to ask. Just don't."

Masaki's head flew in the direction from where the voice was coming.

"Ryu-chan."

Indeed, a tranquil Ryuken was at the top of the staircase, staring Masaki with patient but serious eyes covered by glasses.

"I am sure you have been told before and if not, it has already been explained several times since you came here. We Quincy should only come out after the Shinigami die. And even then, we should let Gemischt go. Masaki, you should be more aware of your position. You do understand, don't you. You should care more about yourself. We Echt shouldn't waste our blood so easily."

"But, Ryu-chan…"

That sentence was never finalized as a huge blast rumbled from the outside. Even more determined, Masaki reached for the door's handle.

"Wait Masaki!"

"Ryu-chan. You know, the fact that you think about Aunty, the Quincy, the future and many other things before you act… is something that I really like about you. But… I'm not you. To me _'caring about myself'_ means to do everything in my power every day. If today I don't do what I can, because of some custom or tradition and if because of that someone… anyone dies, I won't be able to forgive or look myself in the mirror tomorrow."

With that, she opened the door and rushed out. Ryuken stood there motionless for a couple seconds. He then took a mini-radio with a Quincy Zeichen and pressed a button.

"Katagiri. We are going out for a bit. Prepare the reishi armor."

* * *

Isshin was in a sticky situation. The Hollow was giving him a bit of a hard time. With just a few front attacks, he was sent flying. He did parry, mind you, but the strength behind each strike was getting heavier by the second.

 _'I can't understand. Its physical appearance is somewhat that of a Hollow… But it feels like I'm fighting a Shinigami. This is a bummer.'_

His musing was interrupted by a shill female voice.

"Shiba-Taichou?! What are you doing here? Karakura town is under the jurisdiction of Squad Thirteen!"

Isshin gazed backwards, a young lady from the Thirteenth, with black hair tied to the right was coming his way.

 _'Shoot! I surpassed the boundary!'_

The creature he was fighting attacked again. Then stepped to the left to move past him and headed straight for the unsuspecting girl. By the time Isshin managed to scream "RUN!" it was already too late. The Hollow charged a Cero from his horns annihilating the poor girl on the spot.

 _'Was that a Cero?! What the hell? That's not a Hollow, but it's not a Menos either.'_

Isshin hurried to attack the creature from behind, but was fended off by the Hollow's blade.

"Hey. There is no way a monster like you could exist without Soul Society's knowledge. Someone must be sheltering you… Who's pulling the strings?"

His only response was a low growl.

"No answer, huh? Not talkative? Well it's not like I care. Weather you talk or not, I'm gonna slash you anyway."

With that, he pushed the Hollow back and called forth his Shikai.

"Burn **Engetsu***!"

The blade was suddenly engulfed in flame like spiritual energy, which immersing the sword's blue tassels and creating long, trailing streams. Isshin prepared to once again attack his foe, but felt a sharp pain on his back and stopped in his track. He somehow sustained a long and deep cut going from his right shoulder in a diagonal line to his lower back on the left.

 _'Ouch! This slash was not the Hollow's doing. It was definitely a Zanpakuto! Which means it was a Shinigami. A traitor must be hiding in the background!'_

He raised his head in the air and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Urgh! Who are you?! I know you are out there! Come out and stop hiding!"

* * *

Aizen and company made it to the World of the Living just in time to see the powerful Cero their sample unleashed. It was spectacular. Yet, the moment Shiba-Taichou released his Shikai Aizen snapped and with a swift move injured the unaware Taichou with a serious wound.

Returning to his cronies he commented more to himself than the rest of his group.

"A cloak that isolates reiatsu almost completely. By kneading some Kido into it even your body can blend into the air, rendering you nearly invisible. What a wonderful parting gift you left. Urahara Kisuke."

Isshin's shout was heard but ignored by all except Ichimaru Gin.

"Ops! Looks like he realized it wasn't a Hollow that hit him."

Aizen only answered with a meager. "Indeed. I'm going." And turned to leave, which surprised the smiling man.

"Is it ok? I mean, it's…"

Gin never managed to say what he wanted as Aizen interrupted once again.

"His Bankai is quite a burden to his body. He won't be able to se it with that wound. If a Taichou ranked officer is able to defeat it with just Shikai, it means that sample was a failure in the first place."

The normally quiet and reserved Tousen felt offended and, for a change, spoke up his mind.

"It's not a 'sample'. Please call it 'White'. He is completely different from all the types of Hollow we created so far. It's the first one we created based on the Soul of a Shinigami."

Aizen considered the idea and slowly agreed.

"You are right. Sorry Kaname. However, calling it 'White' even though it's completely clad in a black armor just because of his inner 'whiteness' is simply ironic."

* * *

Isshin knew he was in a pinch. The situation turned from bad to worse in a matter of seconds and his opponent was not giving him any time to recover from the sustained cut. He barely had enough strength to block and parry attack after attack.

 _'The wound is deep. I can't fix my reiatsu! At this rate, I won't be able to use Bankai.'_

He blocked another forward strike and dodged the swing coming from the left by jumping away. His constant escapes were upsetting the beast of a Hollow who screeched and jumped at him. Getting annoyed, Isshin grabbed a bit of his own blood and brought it to his mouth.

"Don't underestimate me you piece of shit!"

He swallowed the blood and spat it onto his sword, creating a large wave of deadly energy which combined with the flames on his sword and assaulted the Hollow taking the monster's left hand in the process. Even so, the Hollow continued its onslaught and sent him down to crash on top of a building.

"Hah… You're pretty good even without an arm. Not bad."

As anticipated the Hollow did not answer, but it did come at him with incredible speed and with all of his weight. Isshin blocked again, but felt the strain in his body. He had a bigger problem at hand, that is the Cero that was forming between the Hollow's horns. He was sure he was about to be killed, but at the very last moment the Hollow stopped and suddenly moved to the right to avoid a blue projectile which came from somewhere behind Isshin.

Looking backwards to see who saved his sorry hide, he was shocked to see a little girl with a bow and arrow. It seemed both items were made of reiatsu, which was odd.

"Who's she?!" was his eloquent question.

* * *

Aizen was glad he did not leave immediately after inflicting the injury on the other Taichou. For right before their eyes stood a rare breed.

"A Quincy!"

Tousen was anxious and ready to destroy the interference.

"This was not in our plan. I'll eliminate her."

He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait. Let's see what happens.

* * *

Masaki used Hirenkyaku to reach her destination. True to her suspicions, the Hollow was the same one from the previous night. A handsome stranger was fending it off, but had a really bad injury and seemed to struggle. When she saw the Hollow was preparing to fire a Cero, she called forth her weapon and shot an arrow. From that moment on, she had eyes only for the Hollow. Her sentiment must have been shared, for the monstrosity left the Shinigami and rushed at her with unbelievable speed. She swore she heard a cry of "Wait!", but weather it was aimed at her or the Hollow, she was not sure.

She released a barrage of arrows, but the Hollow was too fast for her.

 _'What an amazing display of dexterity. I can't aim! Well if that is the case, then…'_

She let go of the weapon, dispersing the reiatsu, stupefying all spectators aside from the Hollow who opened his mouth and bit her left shoulder, not letting go.

She quickly took the opportunity and placed her hand on the Hollows mask keeping him in place.

"Good. I got you."

With her right hand, she formed a miniature bow and a big arrow, shooting the dangerous Hollow through the head at point-blank range leaving everyone speechless.

The Hollow's mask and body started breaking apart. Simultaneously the white substance which covered its hole started to expand on its back. That was enough for Isshin to Shunpo and grab the Hollow by its face. At that instant the Hollow blew up in an enormous explosion. The still hiding group, too was astounded. All but one Tousen who was irritated at the knowledge their precious 'White' exploded.

Masaki wasn't hurt, but only because the Shinigami took the harshest portion of the devastating impact. She hastily ran to check the man's health status.

"Are you ok?!"

Isshin smiled and answered with his cheerful demeanor.

"Yeah. Ouch. Sorry, Thank you. How shameful… a Taichou saved by a girl."

Still worried, Masaki retorted somberly.

"That's not entirely true. You were the one who saved me. It you hadn't protected me, you wouldn't be as badly hurt."

Although in pain, Isshin laughed and gave the little lady a gentle smile.

"Ha-ha! Let's call it even, ok!"

Masaki was not convinced, but let it be.

"Don't move, I'll heal you."

Isshin could tell the girl was anxious, but his own curiosity was winning his better judgement.

"Yeah, ok. But, how could you defeat it alone? Who are you?"

Masaki was once again torn. Unsure if she should answer or not.

 _'What should I do? How to reply? What will he, a Shinigami, do when he finds out I'm a Quincy?'_

Decision made, she replied.

"I'm Masaki a Quincy."

Isshin was both awed and flabbergasted. He could tell the girl had a hard time admitting her origins. She gave a leap of faith and in turn he found it only natural to reassure her in turn.

"I see, a Quincy! It's the first time I actually met one! Feels kind of special to be able to see a real Quincy."

Masaki was relieved, visible by her own radiant smile

 _'What's with this person? Is this how Shinigami are? I wonder if they're all like this. I hope they are. Because if they are, I'm sure Ryu-chan, Aunty and everyone else can find closure and live peacefully.'_

Among all the spectators, no one took notice of two other figures floating a certain distance away.

Ryuken was clad in a white uniform with blue stripes and a large bow on his back. Katagiri to his right had kept her bow at the ready from the moment they arrived. She too was clad in a different uniform, mostly white with black outlines and trims.

"Let's go Katagiri. Masaki is alright. There were no issues. Understood?"

Katagiri did not like the silent demand her young master was putting on her shoulders. Nonetheless she responded the way her master would expect.

"Yes. As you command, Young Master."

With that the two left back to the Ishida's house. Masaki stayed behind to heal the injured Shinigami. Aizen and his group went deeper into town and unnoticed opened a Senkaimon.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

This chapter is motivating me to try and write one more before embarking. Will see if I can try and type another as fast as a lightning :3

Just a little something for those who may have forgotten or did not know:

 ***Harlequin*** = in Italian Arlecchino. The best-known of the comic servant characters (zanni) from the Italian Commedia dell'arte. Harlequin is characterized by his chequered costume. His role is that of a light-hearted, nimble, and astute servant, often acting to foil the plans of his master while pursuing his own love interest. He developed into a prototype of the romantic hero. Harlequin inherited his name, physical agility and trickster qualities from a mischievous "devil" character in medieval passion plays.

 ***Solar noon*** = time of the day when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and the shadows are shortest.

 ***Zankensoki*** or 'Cut-Fist-Run-Spirit' = basic Shinigami fighting techniques.

 ** _'Zan'_** refers to sword fighting techniques otherwise known as _Zanjutsu_.

 ** _'Ken'_** refers to unarmed fighting techniques using your own body in fights and is commonly known as _Hakuda_.

 ** _'So'_** or _Hohō_ refers to moving techniques. In other words, it is for all high-speed fighting moves based on Shunpo.

 ** _'Ki'_** refers to _Kido_ which is advanced spells that require strong spiritual power and control. You can learn the incantation and spells, but if you don't have control over your reiatsu, the spell will explode in your hands. Painful and damages the caster.

There are two kinds of Kido: **Bakudo** and **Hado**. Bakudo are binding spells used for battle support and defense while Hado are for direct attack. Spells are graded on a scale from 1 to 99, the latter being the most powerful and the most difficult to perform. To use Kido, a Shinigami must recite the specific incantation for the spell, which is often long and requires a few seconds to speak. The power of a spell relies on the power of the user, as even a low-level spell can be utterly devastating when utilized by a high-class Shinigami.

Bakudo includes Barriers (Kekkai) and Seals (Fu).

 **Barriers** focuses reiatsu into a solid form of energy. This energy can take on many shapes or colors as determined by the user. Barriers are protective in nature and can be as simple as protecting one direction or encompassing all sides of an area. Barriers can be used for containment, and some can be used offensively. Barriers can mask spiritual pressure and can make one spiritually and physically invisible. The strength of a barrier depends upon the power of the user. Weak barriers are easily breakable, while strong ones can last for centuries. Barriers created by noble blood are said to be unbreakable by those of lesser status. Certain barriers can be placed beforehand and activated later, while others require certain artifacts and time to activate.

 **Seals** are somewhat similar to barriers, but far more powerful and require a lot more preparation to create. Seals can only be used by those of sufficient reiatsu and are meant to hold the most powerful and or dangerous artifacts or beings. In situations when the intended prisoner is extremely powerful, seals can be made in groups of two or more Shinigami experts with strong reiatsu. Seals are usually hard to break.

 ***Shōji* =** a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo.

 ***Engetsu*** = Japanese for _'Scathing Moon'_ , very similar to Ichigo's and Shirosaki's **_Zangetsu_** which means _'Slaying Moon'_.

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night :D_


	26. Chapter 26

_Hello everyone :)_

 _Guess what? We have Chapter XXVI_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new but… it needs to be written._

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Yay! I'm back! Only for today though, as I managed to sneak out in port xD

Please enjoy! Not sure when I'll get the chance to get out again and post more chapters, but I'll do my best. Sheesh, who knew writing onboard would prove to be this difficult? But that is also why it's so cool and challenging x3

A big THANK YOU to **Ish (Guest)** and **Semoni Soturi** for the amazing reviews.

* * *

 _Chapter XXVI_

Back at the laboratory, one Kaname Tousen, for a change, felt rage pouring from each crevice of his soul. True, at the beginning of their experimentation, they did not expect much from project 'White'. Despite everything, in the ended it had been successful, only to be ruined by a Quincy. A Quincy! Why was a Quincy there in the first place? They were supposed to be all wiped-out two hundred years ago! In an uncharacteristic display of overall frustration, he slammed both hands down on the nearest flat surface. In this case, an unfortunate diary atop the computer desk.

"Impossible! For it to self-destruct…that means it did not just undergo Hollowfication, but it actually achieved its final form. Yet, it was a failure and all because of that Quincy! To induce Hollowfication onto Shinigami was our original plan, but now it's all water under the bridge. What a fiasco."

Tousen tried to calm down, but all his efforts seemed in vain. The more control he attempted to regain, the more it escaped his grasp. Aizen decided to put the blind man at ease, by revealing his own view on the occurred incident.

"I disagree. Tousen, you always see the cup as half empty. We may have strayed from our initial objective. But at the same time, we could say we have exceeded and surpassed our first goal. An _'unexpected happening'_ means an occurrence _'we weren't able to predict'_. The Hollow created from a dead Shinigami chose to target a living Quincy, its polar opposite… Don't you want to see how this story unfolds?"

Gin shivered at Aizen's expression; a combination of drugged, pleased and purely demonic. People normally said Gin's everlasting smirk was creepy, so under which category would Aizen's grin fall? He personally thought it was eerie, scary and most of all disturbing. Oh well, nothing he could do about it, but hope for the best and a chance getting the little gem before more innocent souls perished. Glancing at Tousen, he saw the sightless man actually felt better after hearing Aizen's words. Oh, well, what could he say? Those two deserved each other.

* * *

Shirosaki figured the best place to exit the Garganta was in the middle of the hedge maze. It was less conspicuous than in the open areas surrounding the demolished mansion. Ossan should be able to get them out of it and if not, they would Hirenkyaku and Shunpo away. Once out, he looked at Ossan, waiting for a reaction. Ossan merely raised an eyebrow, meaning he expected Shirosaki to lead the way.

Shirosaki internally scoffed, then jumped in the air trying to position himself. Thanks to the cloaks no one was even able to see them, so he was not worried. It was fortunate that they were not invisible to each other. That would have been a major pain in a certain spot. Especially with the cat lady. Although, he had to admit, she has been rather quiet. Well, all considered, she sure knows how to be comfortable. Her front paws laid on his right shoulder, her hind legs on his left, while the main body was on the back of his neck.

He took a deep breath and observed his surroundings. From this high up, even amid the dense darkness, locating the entrance to the forest was a piece of cake. He chose to be nice and inform the werecat what was about to happen.

"Just for your information, I'm about to use Shunpo. So, hold on tight kitty-cat."

Yoruichi was pleasantly surprised the Hollow deigned to alert her, not that she needed it, mind you, but it was gratifying all the same. Shirosaki did not need to tell Ossan, he could sense the older man was already behind him and ready to proceed. Thus, without further ado, he went ahead, leading the way.

Shirosaki landed easily at the forest's entry. They could continue with their fast movements, but that would only attract unwanted attention, especially if Soren was meeting with one or more individuals. That did not mean they were reduced to walking. Oh no sir, they went the old-fashioned way of speed walking and running. The dimness became only deeper the more they ventured forward. It was unsettling, to say the least, and it was difficult to navigate without hitting bushes or trees every two steps of their way. Thankfully, Shirosaki has remarkable photographic memory, so they avoided the majority of obstacles.

Though, it seemed that the closer they came to the hearth of the woodland, the area became brighter instead of darker. Having reached the opening, they saw stones circling a bush. It was obvious why it was lighter here, the bush in the middle of the opening, was emitting a frost blue light, but it did not feel cold. On the contrary, it was warm and welcoming. They were the first to arrive, which was perfect for the uninvited trio.

Shirosaki was confused. Last time he checked, bushes couldn't glow. Not to mention, when he was here, that bush was definitely not on fire nor was it radiating heat. Ossan could tell something was bothering his companion.

"What's the matter Shirosaki?"

Shirosaki re-composed himself and unsuccessfully tried to explain.

"Not… Well, it's just… A couple of days ago everything was different. Starting from the bush, it most certainly was not alight. Then the reiatsu on the stones was much older, it did not have this fresh feeling. Yet, it doesn't seem like this place has been used recently either. Back then, it felt as though not a single soul had come in the past decade or two. But here we are, and now I get the sensation that there had been a meeting roughly five or even less days ago. It's simply weird and unnatural."

Ossan smiled, aware the uplifting of his lips was concealed by the night. After all, his partner was rightfully confused.

"I am not surprised. This place is normally made for only Quincy meetings. The bush in the middle of the 'room' serves as an absorbent and liberator of sorts. During summits, it draws reiatsu in like a sponge. In doing so, it hides most traces of what goes on at the time. Prior to a new assembly, it starts pouring out the accumulated reiatsu giving light and warmth. By returning the absorbed reiatsu, we can get a feel of what was discussed during the last assembly."

Shirosaki had a puzzled expression, a rare sight to behold.

 _'Why in hell would anyone go through all the trouble?'_

It seemed like Ossan easily read his unspoken question as he graced Shirosaki with a decent answer.

"Back then, you were not privy to our meetings, therefore I know this is all new to you. You see, we did this and much more against conspirators and spies. If one cannot figure out when the get-together started or ended, they would end up with little to no information. It was also useful to have a quick reminder of previous activities and discussions."

Shirosaki rolled his eyes. _'Quincy and their secrecy. Everything they do is inevitably shrouded in mystery or something alike.'_ He wondered when he would learn not to get shocked by these situations.

Shirosaki opened his mouth, ready to cuss at Quincies in general and their idiotic customs, but suddenly kept quiet. His sensitive ears caught the sound of light rustling. Somebody was coming. Thankfully, there was no need to enlighten either Ossan or Yoruichi. Yoruichi herself had heard the same noise, while Ossan merely took Shirosaki's abrupt silence as an obvious sign.

A tall figure clad in a long black satin cloak with long sleeves and a hood seems to be their first visitor. The raven black mantle is large and wobbly, perfectly concealing any distinguishable features. The persons' hands are covered by black leather gloves and, if you pay close attention, you can catch a glimpse of black shoes and tight trousers underneath the swaying material.

Any hopes of seeing the person's face are prevented by a dark wine-colored mask. There are no lips or nose, just a bulge ascertaining that the unknown one possesses said organs. The eye openings are enclosed by a black fabric. The fabric is probably made in such a fashion that hides the wearer's eyes from outsider's views, but allows the user to see where he or she is going. The only decoration is the pearly-white trim on the mask's sides. A most bizarre and unusual guise.

And yet, Shirosaki was fighting hard not to jump at the individual. The man may be able to cover his appearances, but he sucked at disguising his reiatsu.

 _'There can be no mistakes, that is Soren! If there were any doubts, they're all washed away now. I wonder who he works with. This should be interesting, even though I wish I could just end him right here, right now. But then, we wouldn't know who his followers are nor his plans. There is a chance he may have saved some of his memories or powers around. If that is the case, we should spy on him and destroy anything that could be used in his next reincarnation. Not that I see him being reincarnated again. Oh, no. This time, when he dies, it will be permanent. I'll make sure of that.'_

Those thoughts along with the promise to behave, kept Shirosaki's temper at bay. Undoubtedly, there would be other occasions and opportunities to dismember the accursed bloke. Just the mere prospect was enough to make Shirosaki smile.

To his left, Ossan kept a close eye on the Hollow. He was certain, Shirosaki would control himself. However, he did learn the hard way that it was better to be safe rather than sorry whenever the younger man was involved. He also realized they were a bit too close for comfort to the 'seats'. In case that someone came, they could end up bumping into one another and raise suspicions. Hence, he tapped twice on Shirosaki's shoulder to gain his attention. Once the Hollow looked his way, he motioned for the other to walk behind him. The central area was their best choice. It would allow them to hear and see everything. Shirosaki nodded and the two moved as silently as possible to their new designed spot.

* * *

Soren arrived at the gravels, mentally still debating if it had been smart to arrange two meetings in one night. He was to have a quick assembly with his Quincy associates, succeeded by a reunion with the Shinigami. Yet, even now, he was wondering if it was a good call. Not that there was time for second guessing, as the first group was about to arrive. He frowned at the seven stone pieces from his previous assemblies with the Quincy. He had six Quincies on his side, but eight Shinigami. I he was to include himself, the seven gravels were precisely the number he required, however for the following meeting he was missing two more.

Nevertheless, he had anticipated the minor inconvenience. From his left inner pocket, he took out a small black cube which he promptly threw to the ground. The moment the little item touched the ground it erupted and was replaced by two more rocks. Though, he saw them as mini-pedestals. Using his reiatsu, he placed them around the bush along with the previous seven. He knew by experience that there would be no hearing issues during the gathering. The center-piece was useful and tactfully made, allowing everyone to hear what was being talked about, no matter the distance, as long as the seats were synchronized by the same reiatsu. In this case, he used his own. After the meeting, his signature would disappear as it would be absorbed by the ever-useful glowing bush.

He loathed to admit it out loud, but Quincies sure had some interesting and extremely useful artifacts. The fact that the Emperor himself had created and designed most relics, spoke volumes on its own. Every now and then, a genius was born among the Quincy. That person was always especially chosen and selected by the King who assigned him or her as the Head Scientist. Still, most ideas came directly from the Quincy Sovereign, the little virtuosos were tasked to make his projects reality. Even nowadays, Soren could get stupefied by the technologically advancement of the peculiar race.

 _'Amazing what you can do with a touch of reiatsu. Shinigami do have Kido, but nothing really compares to the technology the Quincy possess.'_

His musing was disrupted by low-pitched swooshing sounds.

 _'Ah, I guess everyone is about to arrive. This should be interesting. I'll consider it a great success if the meeting ends with no casualties. How did I end up with this peculiar group again?'_

He barely finished that thought when he noticed the first group approached and right right on time. Unsurprisingly, Quincies were uptight and particularly keen on punctuality. The odd group of six consisted of: Hubert, Driscoll Berci, PePe Waccabrada, Giselle Gewelle, Berenice Gabrielli and Jerome Guizbatt.

For whichever reason, Hubert did not have a last name. Soren never cared to know how come or why. Among the six, Hubert was also the only Sternritter without a **Schrift***. Still, the youngster was indispensable and irreplaceable. Hubert was and continues to be the Vice-captain of the Sternritter, right under Haschwalth.

Hubert is a young man with a somewhat feminine face. He has short black hair, parted to the left side, thin eyebrows and prominent lower eyelashes. He wears a white military cap with three 3-branched star emblems, a white military uniform with a black tie, a waist-length ashen-gray cape pinned to his shoulders by two silver pins that were connected with a silver string across his chest, white pants held up by a thick black belt, and black dress shoes with white heels and toes.

Driscoll Berci on the other hand is a broad, towering individual, standing at almost twice the height of an average person. He has black hair which extends downwards to form a chinstrap beard, dark charcoal gray eyes with no eyebrows. As most Sternritters, he wears a long-sleeved shirt, with the addition of a white cravat and the usual white pants. Completing his looks are the black shoes and **tekkō*** -like bands worn on his hands, which encircle his knuckles and feature the Wandenreich insignia at either end.

Next is the shortest member of the group, PePe Waccabrada, a large, obese, brown-skinned man with dark fingernails and a long, white beard that forms an upside-down V shape. He is bald and is never seen without his pair of dark sunglasses. His black and white shoes are pointed at their tips. He wears a white sleeveless shirt, golden armbands, a long white cape with the Wandenreich emblem on the back and white pants. In Soren's opinion, PePe was one of the most disturbing Sternritter he had ever encountered in both his current and previous life. What with his appearances and 'love' obsession. Oh, not to forget the floating dome-shaped beige basket that is his mode of transportation and the creepy staff. The staff also known as 'Beshanul' or even as the 'Love Staff' is a coiled, caduceus-like staff. The top is adorned with a large, wide-open eye with long eyelashes and small, spread wings on either side of the eye.

Yet another sinister individual was close behind PePe. Giselle Gewelle. The _girl_ has blue eyes and long, black hair extending down to her lower back, with two strands sticking up like antennae in the middle of her scalp. Her attire is once again white. _'The hell was wrong with Quincy and white?'_ Anyway, she wears a knee-long trench coat with long sleeves, white shoes, and black leggings. On the right side of her head stood a small white cap, which features a black peak and the Wandenreich insignia emblazoned on its front and a blue heart buckle on her waist. Her attire, attitude and mannerism were more than enough to give him chills. Well, along with the fact that he was still debating whether the girl was truly female or a male in disguise. Yep, just looking at him/her was sufficient to give him nightmares for the next couple of days.

At last, following behind Giselle, came the most normal looking person of the entire crowd. Berenice Gabrielli is a relatively slender female. Her hair is mostly short and pink, but the right side of her bangs are longer and, of all colors, purple. Her fingernails are painted and each bears a dark diagonal line. She also wears dark eye shadow. She wears a long hooded-cloak, a trench coat both items opened at the front revealing the shirt underneath, long loose trousers held by a belt, low heel shoes and a bolo tie encircling her neck. Everything on her is white at the exception of the belt and the tie which were both midnight blue.

Last, but not least was an enormous male going by the name of Jerome Guizbatt. Jerome is larger and much more muscular than regular humans. He has brown skin, black hair arranged into cornrows, pronounced upper-canines, sharpened fingernails, and patches of dark hair along his forearms and fingers. Just looking at him made you wonder if the man was a man or a beast. His numerous ape-like characteristics and antics could really blow your mind away. If it was not because of his characteristics or physique, his Quincy Schrift would certainly make you think again. Not anyone was granted with the Schrift 'R' for 'The Roar'.

The unruly group sat in their usual spots with Huber at the center and the others just sitting around him in a semi-circle. Soren was about to take his place at the opposite end, when Hubert made his first comment.

"Soren-sama, if I may, how come there are two additional…ahem… seats?"

Beneath his mask, Soren had a small smirk in place. Figures that Hubert would be the only one to notice additional rocks. None of the others saw the minor discrepancy, judging by their surprised expressions. Not being bothered in the least, Soren leisurely sat and made himself as comfortable as possible before deigning the other with an answer.

"It is quite simple, Hubert. I was hoping by now there would be a few additions to our numbers. Alas, I see the recruiting within our ranks is not going as smoothly as you anticipated."

The effeminate man could not hide his irritation from his superior. In all honesty, Hubert did not foresee so many complications. Really, he had high hopes everyone in Wandenreich would have jumped at the opportunity to serve under Soren-sama seeing as he was the reincarnation of Lady Masaki's beloved husband and the Denka's father. It upset him to no end that they could have been free a long time ago had they simply appointed the Regent as the man in charge.

To Hubert's left, Driscoll along with PePe and Berenice smirked at their Vice-captain's predicament. The male may be their Vice-captain on a regular basis, but here with Soren-sama, titles meant nothing. Power was the only scale of measurement and in this case among the six, Driscoll was by far the strongest, if one did not count Soren-sama.

Soren had, indeed proven his strength to each and every one of the individually prior to enlisting them as his personal elite forces. While most Quincies were loyal to the King, he found minor faults and a healthy dose of greed within the hearts of those present before him.

Driscoll had been the easiest to get under his wing. Soren merely defeated the larger male in a one-on-one battle and promised more bloodshed in the future. Yes, the overgrown man had shown a high desire to overpower and annihilate his opponents, which was contributed to his unique Schrift 'The Overkill'. By destroying his 'prey' he gained power, each new kill only further heightened his might.

He acquired Jerome in a similar fashion. The gorilla was not a man of many words, complimented by a nearly non-existent brain. Thanks to his animalistic drives, he was easily won over. By triumphing over the beast, Soren gained the position of 'Alpha Pack Leader'.

Berenice had displayed her skills as 'The Question' to the maximum. She had not been an easy target. Her constant babbling and infliction of 'doubts' had given him quite the challenge. Yet, her ability was canceled if the auditor could not hear. Placing a customized mask, he was able to clearly listen to anything the girl said, but without being affected by the 'self-doubt' reishi infused in her speech. The mask provided protection against the ill intention and showed the female he had no doubts regarding his cause which instantly brought her to his ranks.

Giselle had been the weirdest one. The runt somehow got wind of his intentions and made his… _her_ intentions clear from the beginning. She desired the other female Sternritter within Wandenreich all to herself. The deal, naturally, was still in progress. Giselle would dedicate herself to any and all his whims until he became the new Sovereign. Once he became the new Quincy King, it was Soren's job to put the girls under his… **her** supervision. A simple, yet annoying task in Soren's opinion. Oh well, sometimes you just had to take what you could get without making too much of a fuss. The agreement was a better decision than to let him… ** _her_** run to Haschwalth or others to tell-tale on his plans.

PePe on the other hand, had been the most revolting of all. The guy was so in love with himself that it was disgusting. Had it not been for the stupid one-eye stick, he would have never considered to make an effort at acquiring the fatty male. If Soren could get the staff and assure it would work even without PePe, he would have probably killed the overbearing man a long time ago. Regrettably that was not the case. Soren ended up striking a bargain with the shady character. PePe would be his mole and spy on all the happenings within Silbern and Wandenreich and in turn, once elected as the Monarch, Soren would make him into a Lord, provide PePe with a large estate filled to the brim with females and males alike who would worship the group PePe walked. Thankfully, Soren was to just provide with the unfortunate victims and not worry about the adoration factor as PePe would see to that part himself.

Just reminiscing about those episodes at attaining dependable troops made him slightly sick to the stomach. And then, there was Hubert, the crown jewel of his current crew. Hubert had a bone to pick with Bazzard Black from the time the hot-headed male was but a child along with Haschwalth. Surprisingly, Hubert only desired vengeance against Bazzard and had absolutely no animosity against the blonde child who overtook his position. Honestly, Soren presumed someone like Hubert would have been outraged to have his status degraded by a little kid. Yet, Hubert had not been too affronted at having been degraded in hierarchy. But, could not let Bazzard off the hook for insulting him in front of the Emperor centuries ago. That had been an interesting revelation. Soren assured he would give him Bazzard on a silver plate, if Hubert was to work for him. Even then, Hubert had been hesitant. In the end, Soren had to make a blood oath that he would bring Bazzard to his knees, hand him over to Hubert to do whatever he wished to the unruly male and that no harm would befall Haschwalth at any point prior, during or after he fully took over the Quincy race. Hubert in turn, vowed to get more subordinates and assist Soren in his quest.

Let's just say that Hubert had been the first one he got and it was thanks to him that he had five more people within small division. Therefore, it was only fair to alleviate the burden from his shoulders.

"Nonetheless, you provided great insight and your prowess from past and present times make you a valuable and indispensable member."

Raising his head to look at the complete set, Soren spoke up even louder.

"I have called forth this meeting to discuss recent events. As you are all fully aware, we have failed in capturing the reincarnation of Lady Masaki. Driscoll, Jerome and Berenice I confess, I am disappointed. How did you manage to obliterate each and every soul within the mansion and still failed to apprehend a mere child?"

Soren was pleased to see Berenice and Driscoll fidget in their seats. He had no delusions about getting a rouse from Jerome. The brute had been ordered to terminate everyone in his path at the exception of females and had performed wonderfully. The girl had been entrusted to the other two, therefore it was their fiasco and they were full aware of it. Satisfied, Soren continued.

"However, you did an exceptional job in eviscerating the entire manor along with any and all witnesses, thus I shall overlook this minor inconvenience. We have spent a lot of time trying to capture her on our own, now we are reduced to chasing her along with the entire Wandenreich. It was not in our agreement, though we may have more success this way. Onto the next topic. Since the moment Haschwalth distributed you all over the globe, have you noticed any sings of the girl or her whereabouts?"

He received a unison negative answer to his question to which he let out a loud sigh.

"Then, has any one of you felt anything suspicious or unnatural in the past few days?"

Everyone, besides Jerome, immediately immersed in their own minds, trying to remember anything that may have been weird. After roughly seven minutes, most seemed indifferent. Only Hubert and PePe had brought up their own ideas with Hubert taking the lead.

"There have been strange activities around Bazzard Black. Ever since he was sent to investigate an unusual reading in a city in the Living World, there have been irregularities around the same area. There have been reports about Hollows and Shinigami obliterating each other in fights, a powerful Hollow who came out of nowhere, but strong enough to bring two Shinigami down in seconds and then disappearing without a trace. Next, the same unknown Hollow has been reported to have returned just a little while ago. The latest news stating that a Shinigami-Taichou finally defeated the out of control monstrosity. I find it alarming that all these occurrences have been resurfacing within the same perimeters. Basically in between two cities."

Soren nodded his head and proceeded to share his information with the rest.

"I am glad you brought this subject up. As a matter of fact, I have personally investigated the situation. There will be no need to concern ourselves with this particular zone. I am sure we can expect even more irregularities due to the simple fact that the jureichi is being established as we speak. It is a fairly common and natural change which occurs every now and then, bringing forth a lot of reiatsu and reishi commotion in the World of the Living. Therefore, please disregard any uncommon circumstances pertaining to the towns of Karakura and Narukishi in Japan."

In Soren's books, this particular discussion was over, as he was eager to hear what PePe had in mind. But Hubert was not fully sated and continued the same conversation.

"Soren-sama, pardon me, but why are we not to pay extra attention to these sites? A remarkable Hollow coming and going should not be left to roam freely. Well, not that it still lives, but I am concerned since a Taichou level Shinigami was sent to the Human World. Is it wise to disregard such an even so easily?"

Soren was getting peeved. He had no intentions of explaining what the jureichi was or why it was affecting the Living World the way it did. Yet another reason why he so desired Haschwalth and his intelligence. Besides, if he said to ignore something, he expected the rest to blindly obey.

"Hubert, I agree that none of the aforementioned are common situations. Still, I do not wish to repeat myself. I have conducted a thorough investigation. We can expect even more startling readings within the mentioned area. As far as for the Hollow's presence, you could say it was a failed experiment. The Sōtaichō must have felt the need to remove the threat immediately, which explains the presence of a Taichou. These incidents would have happened no matter who we might have sent to check them up and will re-occur every so often. I can assure you, they have nothing to do with Bazzard's involvement. Do you have any more inquiries?"

Hubert swallowed his pride and just shook his head in the negative. He was not convinced, but had no intentions of arguing further. He would keep a close eye on Bazzard out of his own free will.

PePe was next and the chubby male grinned widely before bringing forth his staff. The eye at the top sparkled a few times before finally keeping steadily bright. PePe pointed the light at the nearest tree, creating a make-shift screen. Soon a disheveled Haschwalth with a dirty uniform was shown and Soren felt disenchanted. He had hoped for any juicy details, but he was already familiar with this case. Haschwalth had gone training and had been called to the throne room. True to his memory, the unkempt Haschwalth disappeared behind the heavy doors.

"If I am not mistaken, this was taken a few days ago."

PePe eagerly nodded his head and Soren spent several minutes accounting for Haschwalth's state of dress at that particular time which earned him a round of loud laughter from the bigger males and a few giggles from Berenice and Giselle the wannabe female. Honestly, how could he rise to his destined position, if most of his followers were idiots and gossipers? He exhaled loudly once again.

"Anything else?"

Receiving no further comments, he proceeded to give assignments to his affiliates.

"Right. Jerome, keep up the good work and act as natural as possible. Berenice and Driscoll, I want you two to redeem yourselves by finding Lady Masaki before anyone else. No excuses and you better not fail this time around. Hubert and Giselle, I want you two to continue prodding other Sternritters. Try and see who would be willing to join us. You all know what is all at stake: freedom, glory and power. Hubert, as per our previous conversation a couple of days ago, please do try and see what can be done in regards to Haschwalth. You are all dismissed. All, except you PePe. There is something I want to discuss with you."

The dismissed ones were extremely content the assembly ended this soon. Usually, Soren would drive them all up a wall and torment them with prolonged requests and stories which accompanied his demands. It was refreshing to see him getting straight to the point. Though they all had their own agenda and reasons to follow him, it was better than doing nearly nothing and waiting for a King who might or might not return.

The stagnant, stationary air in Wandenreich made Driscoll's and Jerome's blood boil. They were brutes who enjoyed fights to the death. In their opinion, spars were for children. Berenice was avoided by most people due to her talkative nature and her power to induce self-doubt in anything and anyone who came within hearing distance. She really enjoyed making other's miserable, never regretting her choices. The fact that Soren-sama was able to listen to her and be immune was another beneficial factor. Hubert, Giselle and PePe had something to gain and therefore put the most effort.

Once everyone had gone. Soren, who never once moved from his spot, motioned for PePe to come closer. The male nearly jumped out of his basket in joy. He was thrilled whenever he was specially selected out of the group, it made him feel important and loved. Ever since the Emperor had been sealed, there had been no action and no chances to get those tingly sensations he yearned for, no enemy to capture or conquer which in turn meant not possibility to be adored. Haschwalth kept them all under control and strictly forbade arguments between Sternritters. Emperor Bach had been the same. Any inner-fights were severely punished.

The obese man floated next to Soren, eagerly awaiting instructions. He hoped he would be granted the use of his powers on an unsuspecting soul or maybe two or maybe more. He was brought back from his vivid imagination, by Soren's hushed voice.

"PePe, I do have a special task for you. I praise you for your keen eyes and the way you have been monitoring Haschwalth without being seen. I am more than confident your special ability will be the key to our success."

Soren took a quick pause, letting the male bask in the glow of his words. At times he forgot how easy it was to manipulate the repulsive creature. An approval here and a few compliments there and PePe turned to mush. It was all about dosing the other man just right, not too much but enough to make him want o do anything for his next fix.

"Now, I am well aware you spied on my conversation with Hubert a while ago. Though, I did ask for privacy, I feel… no, PePe… I _know_ I could not possibly keep anything secret from you for long."

Oh, yes. PePe was relishing and savoring each syllable Soren uttered. To the one bestowed with the Schrift 'The Love', Soren's words were smooth and sweet like honey. He proceeded with the same silken voice.

"So, you know Hubert is to get Haschwalth to our side, yes?"

Having received several nods in the positive, Soren continued.

"Then you know we need him for his influence and reputation. If we can coax Haschwalth into our group, everything you have dreamt of will become true. I can already see it now, a castle in the distance, full of beauties ready to serve you, overwhelmed by the love only you can provide them with. Won't you do us all a favor? Keep your eyes on Hubert and Haschwalth. If you see Hubert will fail, use the greatest and most unique power to have ever been given to a Sternritter. Use your 'Love' on Haschwalth and make him submit to us. What do you say? Won't you do it for all of us? For the future? For Love?"

The perverted man nodded in agreement and joy at being given such a wonderful task. He had longed to test his skills on the most powerful Sternritter for a long time and this was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate to all that Love can overcome any obstacles in the pursuit of a goal. And what better way to prove his beliefs than to have the Grandmaster head-over-heals madly in love with his pure body?

By the starry-eyed expression on the others face, Soren knew PePe was hooked. He dismissed the overexcited man to his devices, while preparing for his upcoming meeting with the Shinigami. Never again would he have two gatherings on the same night, it was too nerve-wracking.

* * *

Shirosaki, Ossan and Yoruichi overheard the entire conversation, along with Urahara and Tessai. Ossan made a mental note to up-date Haschwalth with all the details and names. It took a lot of effort for him not to step out of the concealing cloak. Never had he anticipated for Hubert to switch sides. Perhaps the youngster persistently held onto his grudge against Bazzard and Haschwalth? He would have to get to the bottom of this mystery.

He somehow could see the other five joining Soren. From all he saw, it took little to no effort to employ Berenice, Driscoll and Jerome. Most likely, the three challenged Soren with their abilities, lost and therefore pledged loyalty to the stronger being. Giselle had been a surprise as well as PePe. Though, he had the inkling those two must have been bought one way or another. Considering the quiet chat between PePe and Soren, he had nearly no doubts that was the case.

At the very least, they now knew for sure that Karakura and Narukishi would be left alone and unperturbed for a while. That was a huge relief to both Shirosaki and Ossan. It meant Masaki could live a somewhat normal life. Ossan was certain Soken would properly heal Masaki's wound. Although, she could not be seen as a pure-blood anymore, she was still a Kurosaki descendant, which kept her status high enough to warrant protection.

The trio remained silent and unmoving, waiting patiently for the moment when Soren would be gone. For some reason, it appeared Soren had no desire to leave anytime soon. Shortly, they found out why.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

Wow, it took me forever to write this one down. Sorry everyone. I know it's shorter than my previous chapters, but it really is a big challenge to work and write on-board. There is always something going on xD

My poor Muse has been all over me, making me change the story so many times… teasing me and demanding deviations on every occasion. So, to prevent any more variations, I just had to post at least this part. There is more coming up (hopefully) soon.

 ***** **Schrift** ***** = German for script, scripture, writing. The Sternritter were created when the members drank a bit of Juhabach's blood, which enables the Emperor to carve a part of his soul into the Sternritter. The incision takes on the form of a letter, which is used as the designation of the Sternritter. This also grants their unique powers. Upon the character's death, the part of Juhabach's soul they received is returned to the King, who gains his strength back as well as additional power from the deceased disciple.

 ***Tekkō*** = in Japanese it literally means 'iron' and/or 'armor'. They originated in Okinawa, Japan and fall into the category of a "fist-load weapon". By definition, a fist-load weapon increases the mass of the hand so that, given the physical proportionality between the fist's momentum and its mass, it increases the force the bearer can deliver. Some fist-load weapons may also serve, in the same manner, as the guard on a sword, to protect the structure of the bearer's hand.

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night :D_


	27. Chapter 27

_Hello everyone :)_

 _I proudly present Chapter XXVII_

 _Same old good disclaimer, reminder and warnings:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC._ _ **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea**_ _:) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _:_ _Spoiler alert_ _for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Dear Lord, it's been ages since the last time I managed to write something, even longer since I posted our latest chapter.

Sorry! Believe it or not, to work and live on a ship, while simultaneously writing stories, is no easy work. Sometimes you need reminders, Internet and all the good stuff – and those are mostly the times when your connection is out. Of course, there is also Muse-san, who wants me to type away, but, honestly, some days I just want to lay down in bed and sleep until my next shift.

Thankfully, I finally managed to finish this one and even got to chance to sneak out once again to post this little addition to the growing 'Chapter' family x3

Hope you'll enjoy :D

Fingers crossed for the next one xD

I really hope it won't take me this long for the next post, but no promises made.

* * *

 _Chapter XXVII_

 _Shirosaki, Ossan and Yoruichi remained silent and unmoving, waiting patiently for the moment when Soren would be gone. For some reason, it appeared Soren had no desire to leave anytime soon. Shortly, they found out why…_

* * *

Soren was getting very annoyed. His associates were late. Perhaps he should consider it a blessing in disguise? Had they arrived sooner than the agreed time, they may have ended up bumping into the Quincy, which was something he wanted to avoid at all costs. There was no need for his followers to know he was subtly manipulating both sides. He still appreciated punctuality, mind you, but in this case, he was tankful none of the Shinigami were the punctual type.

Crunching hums accompanied by taps of footsteps finally reached his ears, instantly calming his agitated mood. It seemed the scoundrels were slowly, but surely, gathering around. Expanding his senses, he could feel several signatures coming in segregated groups. Two to his left, four to his right, one behind and one in front of his current position.

It was interesting to see that Shinigami were dispersed into sets. The polar opposite to the Quincy, who managed to put away their differences and work together, at least, when needed.

Unsurprising as, by default, Shinigami were not made to work in unison. The moment they finished the Academy and became members of the Gotei, Shinigami were separated in categories and divisions, never to work for another squad unless forced out from their unit or promoted.

Promotions happened periodically and it was even rarer for a Shinigami to be sent from one division to another. Changes and transfers equaled a huge amount of dreaded paperwork. Thus, all Taichou's were picky before selecting new members. Everything was taken into consideration: achievements, behavior prior, during and after graduation, grades, skills, talents and much more. Taichou's and Fuku-taichou's alike had their hands full after the graduation ceremony.

Even so, many who passed the Academy never made it in the ranks of the Gotei. Such unlucky souls would open their own businesses and shops within Seireitei. On second thought, maybe that was not such an unfortunate turn of events. They were given permission to linger in Seireitei, open their work station and live normal, peaceful lives. There were, of course, those who never even got a glimpse of Seireitei and were taken to the 'Maggot's nest' instantaneously, regardless of their Academical success. Not to forget the ones who got arrested even before finishing the Academy. He had wondered where the famed 'Nest' was located, but that was restricted information. Only members of the Second knew its whereabouts and those guys were hard to attain.

A low call of his name, brought Soren out of his racing mind. Not that it was visible, thanks to the ever-present mask covering his face. He gave a simple nod of the head in acknowledgement of the others presences and gestured for all to sit down.

Immediately, the Shinigami sat on the mini-pedestals at random. There was no such thing as a permanent seat and Soren knew they would always position themselves according to how they felt around other affiliates.

To Soren's left, clock-wise, stood a young-looking man with short wavy dark brown hair and kind brown eyes. The youngster wears the standard Shinigami uniform and white gloves. He is Ogidō Harunobu, **10th*** Seat of the Fourth Division and **third leader*** of the **fourth*** relief team.

Next came another youthful man with shoulder-length-spiked black hair, with long fringes evenly split on his forehead, gentle raisin colored eyes, thin black eyebrows and a small fake smile plastered on his face. This is **Kobayashi Arata*** a non-seated officer of Squad Twelve. Following him are three more members of the same division.

 **Omori Hayato*** , a blond male with short hair slicked to the left side, long sideburns, small greasy black eyes, black thick eyebrows and a large nose. He is the tallest and broadest person among his colleagues. **Kimura Kento*** , an elderly looking man of average size with raven black curly hair, a large bumpy nose, long thin lips, and wide ebony eyes. Lastly from the Twelfth Division, came **Matsuoka Takeshi***. Among his companions, he gave the air of the most intelligent. Either that or the higher in rank. He was older by appearance compared to Omori Hayato. He has thin, short black hair gelled to the back, small pebble colored eyes, trimmed eyebrows and a thin English mustache.

Right after the males of Squad Twelve stood two unruly characters. Kotsubaki Jin'emon, former lieutenant of the Seventh Division and Yamada Seinosuke, previously, the Fuku-taichou of Squad Four. As far as Soren knew, they retired shortly after a major incident involving several Taichou's and Fuku-taichou's about a hundred years or so ago. Irrelevant, really.

Kotsubaki Jin'emon is a giant of a man. His black hair is spiky and short with the exception of his long tied up ponytail. He has bushy black eyebrows and sideburns, a black pharaoh styled beard and frame-less red sunglasses. A scar runs along the left side of his face from his forehead, through his eye all the way to his cheek. The sunglasses make it impossible to see whether he could still see from that eye or not. Yamada Seinosuke seemed like a child in comparison. Long ago, the man was the Fuku-taichou of the Fourth. Now, he was the proud owner of the popular store **Chiharu Chimon***. The shop sold all sorts of cosmetics and health products, most created by combining natural ingredients and **Kaido***. Yamada looks around the late thirties, though he is much older. He has shoulder-length black, smooth hair with long bangs which he keeps behind his ears. He has thin eyebrows and smart calculative black eyes, giving the air of an intellectual commoner with a devious mind.

Last, but not least, is Umesada Toshimori who is the 20th Seat of the Ninth Division a position he shares with 15 other Shinigami of the same Squad. He is a large man with a top knot, large sideburns, a thick mustache above his upper lip and bushy, arching eyebrows close to his eyes. Above his left nostril, you can see a prominent mole. Seriously, can't miss that one.

Once again, Soren was left wondering how he ended up with such an unpredictable and weird bunch of people. He was sure it had something to do with the ongoing century. Nevertheless, he had a role to play; that of a benevolent ex-Shinigami interested in returning Soul Society to its glory.

"Gentlemen. Thank you for coming on this pleasant night. I hope there were no difficulties in locating our meeting point."

He received small grunts and shrugs, but no complaints, signaling that all went relatively well. Satisfied with the unspoken response, he pressed on.

"I am fully conscious that each one of you has a private or group agenda. Yet, we have gathered as one to change certain aspects of Soul Society. Without further ado, let us proceed. As of late, there have been many uncommon readings in the World of the Living. By now, I am certain you have heard rumors about powerful Hollows roaming in certain towns. My sources have confirmed they are caused by the settlement of the Jureichi of this era. I strongly believe it will stabilize in the upcoming months somewhere in Japan, in the zone under the jurisdiction of either Squad Thirteen or Ten. Hollows are getting drawn by the abundant reishi formed by this phenomenon. I would suggest avoiding missions to the Living World until this process is finalized and stable."

His words gave birth to murmurings and whispers between each separate group. Most Shinigami suddenly had deep frowns or worried expressions. The only one who seemed undisturbed was Umesada, he was also the sole individual who looked confused and lost. Obviously the highly _important_ man was not up-to-date when it came to terms such as the _Jureichi_. Not for the first time, Soren questioned his own sanity. Why did he agree to **_help_** the sleazy, power hungry man? Oh, right. He needed to expand his numbers. The more people he got on his side, the easier it would be to overrule those in charge of Soul Society. That reminded him, he would need to start fishing for more subjects and Taichou level Shinigami.

Once more, his furious train of thoughts was haltered by an unexpected action. Kotsubaki Jin'emon abruptly stood from his seat, his deep, rough voice echoed clearly throughout the forest.

"With all due respect, we are not here to chit-chat. If there is nothing relevant for our assignments or benefit, please do say so right away. I do not wish to waste my time on pointless gossip."

Yamada Seinosuke fully agreed with his partner in crime and he too stood from his place ready to leave and follow after the bigger male. Close-by, the youngster from the Twelfth slightly squirmed on his spot. Against all odds, Kobayashi Arata broke out from his nervous demeanor and also stood up.

"Soren-sama, please do not be affronted, yet I believe we all share the same feeling as Kotsubaki-san. Was there a practical reason you wished to see us all together? We could have met as our standard way, _individually_. There is no meaning for all of us to be present at the same time, if we are only going to discuss minor events."

Soren was astonished. Who knew the little guy actually had a pair on him? He would have never guessed the spirited young man with the fake smile could ever stand up to anyone, least of all to someone as mighty as Soren. Glancing at all the Shinigami in his midst, he swore under his breath, while forcing himself to keep a cool demeanor. He did send a dirty look in the direction of the three standing Shinigami. The defiant bunch would need to learn their place in the packing order.

"Gentlemen, take your seats. This meeting is far from over. The events occurring in the World of the Living may appear insignificant, yet we are all using it as our reunion location. The outstanding number of strong Hollows is just the tip of the imaginary iceberg. If the case is so trivial, why are more and more Shinigami dying? I could understand the death of one or two incompetent fools. However, the death pool has increased to over ten in less than a month. As your benefactor and supporter, I see it fitting to inform you of the cause behind such matters. I also expect you to share any and **_all_** intel no matter how trivial the information might be. Sometimes to reach a certain goal, one needs to find out as many details as possible to facilitate operations. Not only does the task become easier, but it exponentially increases winning rates. Now then, sit down so we may continue. We wouldn't want to waste any more _precious_ time than we already have. Would we?"

His words were spoken in an even tone, yet none failed to sense the heaviness of Soren's reiatsu. There was a subtle threat in the mans' posture sending chills and tremors down everyone's spines. Needless to say, the three quietly sat, waiting for further instructions. Seeing his subordinates' submission elevated Soren's spirit and with it the dangerous aura.

"When there are updates, I do request all of you to be present. It would be useless to keep repeating news to each group, thus we are already saving time by having a quick gathering. Now. Has there been anything suspicious going on in Seireitei?"

Ogidō Harunobu stood from his spot with his head held high. He knew he was the highest-ranking officer among the present, if one was to exclude the retired Shinigami. Therefore, his confidence was boosted to the maximum.

"With all due respect, gossip is not something I care much about. Still, even I could not but notice an increased number of missing Shinigami. I wonder if their absence is caused from your experiments Soren-sama?"

Soren smirked. He had correctly assumed this precise question would have come from the member of the Fourth. His deal with the men from the Twelfth centered on giving them 'samples' to work on. That did not mean he actually gave them the identity of every Shinigami under his control. Just a couple to satisfy their needs and the agreement. Never mind the fact that, at least in this situation, Soren had absolutely nothing to do with it.

There was that one lost Shinigami from the Fifth and those who died just recently during missions. But other than the aforementioned, all others were accounted for, which reminded him, he needed to 'hunt' for more soon. Out of the nine he got in one night, he was left with only four; two from the Eleventh, one from the Seventh and one from the Eight Division. Excluding the two individuals from Squad Seven and Eight, as these were the one he 'gave' to the experimental team, he only had two vile souls from the Eleventh. Oh well, he would have to force them into Hollowfication and spread the infection one of these nights. Not wanting to appear wary, he proceeded to answer in a casual manner with just the slightest dash of curiosity.

"No. I too have heard about cases of absent and disappearing Shinigami, but these incidents have nothing to do with the ongoing research. As the head of the project, Kobayashi-san here and his men can ascertain of the same. Am I right?"

Encouraged by the newly appointed title, the young leader of the Scientific group nodded his head in agreement and added his own two cents.

"That is correct. We have at the moment only two subjects. I can assure you, both are closely monitored. On another note, there have been rumors about a unique Hollow. Supposedly, the beast defeated and killed at least three seated officers in the span of a few days. I understand that the Living World is not stable at present, yet it doesn't explain the appearance of such a mysterious Hollow. By any chance, does anyone know anything regarding this matter?"

Silence fell upon the gathered men. All had heard one thing or the other, but nothing substantial. Soren, knew more than the rest, but waited to see if anyone had anything to add. Amazingly, it was Umesada who spoke up with his decidedly masculine tenor.

"I did hear that the Sōtaichō is planning to send Kuchiki Byakuya to get rid of it. Normally, the task of gathering data and dealing with such events should be given to the Tenth, but it's clear that the Sōtaichō has little faith in Shiba-Taichou."

Unbeknownst to the brash male, his words induced quite the commotion. All Shinigami were mumbling and quietly discussing the turn of events. Kotsubaki and Yamada were the only ones who refused to join the discussion, both extremely tense. It would do them no good if their 'target' left for the World of the Living. Meanwhile, Soren's head was overloaded and running a mile per second.

 _'Now, this is most interesting. I know the Hollow was just recently disposed of and all thanks to my link with all my test subjects. I am positive it was destroyed by the Taichou of the Tenth, if I was to judge by the number incised on the mans' Haori. I also do happen to know how Kuchiki Byakuya looks like and the man from a few hours ago was most certainly not the noble in charge of Recording History. On another note, how come the Tenth came to town, if they were planning on sending the Taichou of the Sixth? Not to mention the fact that Masaki made an appearance. Yet another mystery to add to the increasing list of weird things going on. As per Haschwalth and the Quincy readings, she was last tracked in Estonia. So, why did I see her through the Hollow's eyes in Japan helping a Shinigami, a Taichou no less? Just what is going on? I'll have to re-check the exact time her reiatsu was felt.'_

Soren was so deeply immersed in his own thoughts that he failed to notice the whispering had stopped. He did, however, sense the many stares he got from his accomplices. It seemed he had unconsciously let out a large amount of reiatsu, dispelling just how annoyed he was by Umesadas' revelation. Acting accordingly, he pulled in his power and indignantly added.

"Well, this is most unfortunate news. And here I was planning to catch the unusual Hollow for the scientists' team. Not to mention, I am not keen on having a Taichou lingering around the World of the Living for an extended time period. I must say, all these changes are not sitting well with most of our plans. Then again, nothing in life is simple. And this is exactly why meetings are so important. How else would we have found out about such juicy information, if not when united?"

Having proven his previous point and explained away his agitated mood spell, Soren resumed his calm facade. On the inside, he was burning with excitement and a _"healthy"_ dose of fury.

Soren was 90% sure the deceased Hollow was the lost subject of the Fifth and since its final demise, he might have ended up with a new 'sample'. Even better, he would have to look into the possibility it left its trace within Masaki. Though such miracle was unlikely. After all, if the girl was able to move this swiftly from Europe to Asia, it meant she must be accompanied by a powerful ally. Most likely a strong Quincy who would heal her from the Hollow's poison. It was a given, if not treated, she would die within twenty-four hours.

He looked again at the Shinigami forming his group. They begrudgingly admitted to themselves that he had been right regarding gatherings. Soren had no delusions, he would still face the same issue in the future. Still, now he had something to remind them about, meaning he would have less frequent issues.

"Is there anything else anyone wants to share? Remember, any and all information, no matter how ridiculous, could prove to be beneficial to all."

Soren waited patiently for a comeback or, well by this point, anything. Yet, none spoke. Again, Soren was reminded just how different Shinigami and Quincies were in general. The Quincy were definitely more organized and dedicated a lot of time and effort in gathering data. On the other hand, Shinigami were brash and lacked either the motivation or skill to get intel or, most likely, both. Members of the Tenth were the sole exception, but even their most apt investigator could be considered a toddler compared to an average Quincy. All due to the very different operational nature of each side.

Indeed, intriguing notion, but more often than not, an annoyance beyond words. He could get anything in perfect details from Quincies, yet from the Shinigami it was like searching for bread crumbs in a dense and overpopulated forest. Yeah, not easy at all.

"Very well. As there seems to be nothing further, we can call it a night. Anyone who wishes to discuss their, ahem, personal agendas, can return here and speak to me directly one on one as per our standard agreement. Meanwhile, should you stumble upon anything unusual or new, do inform everyone. Either that or we can arrange for another 'group' gathering. You are dismissed."

As one, all Shinigami stood from their positions and left in the same groups they came. Funny how they could stand up simultaneously yet could not work together to save their lives. Oh, well, whatever makes them happy.

Soren knew better than to stand and return to Wandenreich. He was sure some, if not all, would return to speak to him in person. Just as predicted, his first 'appointment' arrived.

Soren strongly believe in getting rid of the troublesome ones first, which was the reason Umesada Toshimori was always the first on his consultation list.

"Umesada-san. Welcome back. Good work on the data you shared just a little while ago. How could I assist you on this night?"

You could tell Umesada was excited. He was rarely congratulated for his observations and work. One of the many reasons he appreciated Soren-sama. The masked man made him feel much more important and appreciated than his own Taichou.

"Thank you Soren-sama. Just wanted to check the status on the power upgrade you mentioned. I do believe a promotion is in order. Still, I am stuck as one out of fifteen."

Yes, Umesada is a power hungry, sleazy and corrupt one. Soren did promise him to make him stronger to the point where he could either get a promotion to a higher rank. Though the male was interested in having his own seat or a position he would not have to share. Soren knew that if given the chance, the hunger would escalate to the point where it would hit him in the head and the fool would end up dead sooner rather than later. Which explained why Soren never gave him the power boost promised. It came anyway in the form of Hollowfication and Soren had ample space to play around Umesada's request.

"Fear not. The procedure is taking longer than I anticipated and I did involve the members of the Twelfth to expedite the operation. However, as you have agreed, we shall not perform anything until we are sure it is fully safe. I assure you, once we run all tests and are certain there are no ill consequences, your desires will come true."

Umesada was already imagining all the possibilities and things he would be able to achieve with the power he seeks. Hi daydreaming of the future was so obvious and Soren knew he got him right where he wanted him, in Dreamland. Soren knew much more about Hollowfication than he let on to the Scientific team and knew exactly what happened during the process. But kept quiet. This way, he had two parties within his grasp. Naturally, he had never let anyone on the tiny detail that he himself was part Hollow, neither in his previous or current life and it was not something he was eager to change any time soon. Umesada, mentally still elsewhere, bowed lightly and left shortly thereafter.

It did not take long for the next person to show up. Yet another solitary one with a similar and completely different scheme. Ogidō Harunobu was one of Soren's favorite Shinigami. The man came straight to the point and had no extreme expectations. As far as Soren remembered, the man was bored out of his mind with Seireitei and the close-minded fools from Central 46 ruling the whole Soul Society. There was more to it, but Soren never pushed it, it was irrelevant. Not to mention, the youngster would eventually spill the beans.

"Soren-sama, regarding our agreement. I would like to make a slight amendment. Yes, I do want to become stronger, but not exactly for the reason I mentioned."

Soren waited for the other to continue at his pace. Could it be he would find out the whole truth just like that? He had his doubts, but perhaps after all this time, Ogidō was ready to open up a little more.

"Yes, I admit to be fed-up with the current Soul Society. Everything is old fashioned and there have not been any interesting changes for ages. And with all the restrictions, there is not much going on. That is definitely something I want to terminate, this dull meaningless life we are all leading. Another thing I do want, is to get the real Retsu 'Yachiru' Unohana back from her sleeping state. The calm lifestyle we have in Seireitei affected her as well. I did hear rumors about her. No, I have confirmed most stories to be true. She should reclaim her title as Kenpachi and, alongside your grace of course, lead us all in a new era."

Soren tried to remember which one was Unohana. The respectful and nearly obsessed way of talking about this lady, made him believe it was either a seated officer or Taichou. But if the person had had the title of Kenpachi, then perhaps a Taichou at the very least.

Rummaging through his brain, Soren finally recalled the kind-hearted Taichou with the pitch-black aura surrounding her. Just remembering the feel of the concealed reiatsu was enough to bring forth chills all over him. That woman used to be a Kenpachi?! Sheesh, no wonder she could scare the living daylights out of people with a mere look.

And this guy wanted her to resume her previous position? Soren was inclined to believe the poor soul lost a few brain-cells along the way. Either that or he has never felt even the most minuscule fragment of that heavy, obscured, tainted reiatsu. Soren would have to tread extremely carefully with this one in the future.

"I see. I am glad you have explained the situation. Yes, I too agree something needs to be done at the earliest opportunity. Nevertheless, changes require time, which we, fortunately, have. As for Unohana-Taichou, if she was a Kenpachi, there is an easy, yet problematic solution. To awaken her, shall we say 'old self', she would need to battle against someone who could give her a challenge. By challenge I mean not just a regular fight. No, this would have to be something far more than a battle between Taichou's. A grand and glorious clash which will have her blood boiling for more. I can't promise for this to happen soon, but I can guarantee that it will occur. The experimentation we are currently doing should help greatly in this particular case. Most subjects, hopefully, will attain strength which transcends Shinigami norms. Once the whole process is complete and finalized, I am willing to bet we will have a few samples which could be 'tested' by your Taichou. Surely, one of them will be strong enough to awaken her dormant self."

Ogidō nodded in agreement and added a quiet "Thank you Soren-sama." He turned to leave but glanced back at his superior. One final request leaving his normally gentle lips.

"Oh, and I want you to promise me no one will touch Iemura Yasochika, our Fuku-taichou. He is mine and will perish by my sword alone."

Soren's astonishment was well hidden. Though, had it not been for his mask and years of practice, he might have slipped on this one occasion. Who knew the healer was a closet blood-thirsty monster? Not to forget, Soren wondered just what in the world did the unfortunate Fuku-taichou do to deserve such hatred from a subordinate.

"Hmm. In other words you are asking not to use him as a guinea pig for our research. Although it would facilitate our operation, I will grant you this one wish."

Ogidō let out a loud relieved breath. Iemura would have no idea what hit him. Naturally, that will be when he was stronger than the irksome male. With a final bow, he was gone in a flash of Shunpo, leaving a stunned Soren behind. Right on time too as Kotsubaki-san and Yamada-san made their entrance. This would be a breeze.

"Gentlemen, so glad you came back. I have some news regarding your noble prey. I know you may have some concerns regarding Kuchiki Byakuya and his mission to the World of the Living. Worry not though, as his leave would facilitate a plan I have formulated just for the two of you."

From the nearly invisible left outer pocket, Soren took several sheets of paper which resembled blueprints. And in fact, they were indeed drawings displaying the outlines of the Kuchiki manor in details. Along the pages, there were scattered notes exposing several week-spots as well as a drawn-up plan of action for the two hired murderers. They might have worked together with other members of the Kuchiki household in the past. Yet both had their private business going and money was required to keep them running. As of late, it had been extremely difficult to sell goods. Especially for Yamada-san and his shop.

Soren did save their skin when they made their first attempt at Kuchiki Byakuya's life. Had the man not showed himself when he did, both would have been captured and sentenced to death or worse. That was the only reason they followed Soren. That and the ingenious mind the man possessed. Needless to say, the two took the documents, bowed and left without a single word.

 _"If only it was this simple with the whole lot of them. Come-take-leave. Oh, well. Just the Freak-team and that's it for the night."_

Soren barely finished that thought, when the largest group arrived. Letting an inaudible sigh, Soren prepared himself for yet another quickie. Nothing to say to these ones really. These guys wanted to be scientist but were told by their Taichou they lacked brain and a figurative true determination. As per their Taichou, the four should display their eagerness of becoming students by modifying their own bodies. A weird display of loyalty, but rather irrelevant.

Soren did agree to offer them his 'research' material along with the many miserable souls he Hollowfied and used as spies. Just not the whole bunch. He allowed them to play with a few, but he needed his own set-up to monitor the on goings in Seireitei. After all, it is such a large area to cover.

"Gentlemen. Good evening once again. Yes, I am alert to the fact we require new subjects and I will inform you as soon as I can provide you with more. In the meantime, how are the ongoing Hollowfication coming along?"

Kobayashi immediately responded.

"It's a most fascinating and unusual process. Some experiments barely succeed, yet others don't make it even half of what we got form previous samples. We are coming to the conclusion that results will vary from person to person. Some yield better results than others, yet all tests had the same or a similar mask pattern which fascinated us on more than one occasion. We will double check with the next batch, but we believe this may have been caused because the subjects were influenced by the same Hollow or an extremely similar one."

Soren had to admit he had not expected this bunch of idiots to figure out as much. On the other side, they have been working for him already several decades. Even a complete idiot would have realized the pattern was identical. Acting surprised and satisfied, Soren went on ahead as though this was something new.

"You don't say? A most peculiar situation indeed. Perhaps it has something to do with the location? I do tend to gather our specimen around the same area. Keep up the good work and post me on what happens with the remaining ones until I bring you fresh experiments."

Happy with their success and metaphorical pat on the shoulder, the four bowed and departed, leaving Soren to his own devices.

Speaking of Soren, the masked man seemed to be even more agitated than prior his meetings. Mind you, he was more than happy to have finished all the gatherings for the current time. What bothered him were all the information and data accumulated in one go.

In fact, he was so restless he did not realize he stood from his place. Even worse, he was unaware of his resumed pacing back and forth while talking to himself aloud.

"Dear Reiou, nothing is ever simple. First the whole fiasco with Masaki, then the Quincy and their desires followed by the Shinigami. Seriously! The hell they think I am?! A magician?! Hah! To indulge all their needs and requests I would have to transcend God territory. Yeah, right! Not even a God would be able to fulfill such disturbing and vile demands. If only I could get Masaki and the stupid jewel!"

He paused in his strides and exhaled loudly, only to restart in a similar fashion, this time mumbling a little quitter. Still, even should he whisper, his words were meant to be perfectly audible to all those within the stone pedestals. Not that he knew there were three invisible individuals soaking up all the juicy details and happenings of the night. Had he been privy to their presences, he would have cancelled the whole deal. But, what he didn't know, could not hurt him… much… at least for now… maybe?

"First things first. Masaki! How did she move from Europe to Asia in a flicker? Even better, why would she endanger herself and whoever she is traveling with just to help a Shinigami, a Taichou at that?! Something does not add up. It's fishy. Either she is traveling with someone really powerful, capable of moving through space and time, or the whole lead we've been following is fake, courtesy of the person she is with. There is also the possibility Haschwalth might be somehow involved… No! That couldn't be true. Haschwalth's whole interest is in freeing the Quincy King from his seal. I did give them all a very believable tale that Masaki holds the 'key' to liberate The Emperor. That was the only reason he let me inside Wandenreich and take the position of Regent. Nope, it can't be Haschwalth, but then someone from the inside or an amazing servant from the Kurosaki household. Hmm… I'd say the latter is the most plausible case."

Taking a large intake of breath, he continued as though he never paused.

"That must be it. I'll have to speak to Haschwalth about resuming the search in Japan. I doubt she left the country and if the servant is this good, he or she is making sure the girl is not affected much. That being said, he or she would try to keep her in a calm and quaint little city, not overly crowded with minimal Hollow encounters. That would explain her sudden appearance in Japan as well as the constant false signals we're getting everywhere. Now as for why she rescued that Shinigami…"

Unbeknownst to his observers, a fond smile stretched on Soren's lips. That was exactly how he met her in the first place… at least in his previous life. Overcome by memories of the past, Soren automatically stopped all his movements.

"Right… that's just the kind of person she is. No matter the distance, she must have sensed that monstrosity and came to dispose of it before it hurt anyone. Heh, knowing her, she is beating herself up for not arriving before the guy got injured."

Acting on pure instincts, Soren crossed his hands to his chest, as though he was still able to fell the caresses and hugs shared with Masaki back in those days. That did not last long, as he continued to stride while still keeping his hands crossed to his front.

"Once I have Masaki, by default I will attain the heirloom. Wait!"

Another abrupt stop, followed by even faster and shorter steps.

"How was it supposed to work again? During the cursed battle, the little rascal did say something about it… just what?"

By this point, I dare say anyone sane would have lost all reason thanks to Soren and his behavior. Honestly, if you were to continuously watch a form strolling, halting, then walking around again while talking to thin air, you too would lose a screw or two. Soren's outfit and mask would not help you much either, as he could easily pass for an apparition, a ghost or a horror character.

"Hmm… Let's see… Masaki's old memories were tampered with… so she would believe or remember giving the stone to _him_ … but it supposedly stayed within her… _He_ also said that if she was murdered or died an unnatural or premature death, the stone would crumble to dust…disappear or something… but how do I get it out of her before any of that happens? I can probably get the majority of things fixed and done by subtly influencing her choices… Yet, that is not enough! I will never achieve my goals unless I dominate the darned trinket completely. It must have a master… And it can only be one at a time!"

Having said that, he slowed down to a calmer walk, still babbling to himself.

"Hmm, last time she had no idea since her mind had been played with… What if I was to tell her the truth?! If I made her aware that the orb is in her possession, perhaps that would simplify the whole ordeal… Yes… that's right! IF she received it from The Emperor, it must mean she too should be able to hand it over to another, just as she presumed she did… just as I believed she did… If I make her realize she did not, it will be all solved. Once I win her confidence and trust, I'll make it as though all the bad things happening around her are due to the power of the little rock… Then, of course, as the good Samaritan I am, I would offer her the chance to get rid of it and its 'curse' laying dormant upon the Kurosaki's family and name. Making her conscious of her ownership and rights might be risky and may lead to some other issues and outcomes. Come what may, I will convince her it will be for the best to leave it into my care."

The loud exhale which escaped Soren's masked features, echoed through the still forest.

"Alright! Get Masaki, make her understand she has the gem of doom in her body and manipulate her to abandon it. Now, the only missing piece to the puzzle is… how does she pass it on to another?... Bah! Surely, the answer is in the genetic code or something… A skill she'll not even be acquainted with unless fully awakened to the fact she holds the little thingamajig."

Feeling much more at ease, Soren discontinued his gait, but continued to keep his hands folded close to his chest.

"Finally, one dilemma out. Next is the blurry figure of Shirosaki I saw through the Hollow's eyes. He should not be alive, that's for sure. Nevertheless, from my calculation, I too should not be back either, yet here I am. No, no, no! The _brat_ can never come back! Getting my memories back was hard work, but the dungeon-turned-lab, had been one of my greatest ideas. Even with all my predictions and programs, they are still messed-up and, at times, hard to grasp… A possible by-product from _his_ last attack?! Feasible and I am likely experiencing the end result. Curse him all the way to Hell and back! Argh! To Hell and NO return actually! Sheesh! Talking to myself again? What can I say? I need to speak with someone smart from time to time, else with all these idiots surrounding me I'll go insane!"

Soren took several calming breaths before picking-up his brain-work.

"Yeah, Shirosaki is back, but so am I. The Quincy King is still sealed and there are no signs of the blasted imp. Back then, my invention should have disintegrated Shirosaki's soul into smithereens. And still, I could have sworn that was him… It must be him… So how is he back?"

In the shadows, hidden by Urahara's creation, two souls, out of three, were wondering just what Soren's reaction would be, if he knew that Shirosaki never died in the first place. Nonetheless, the unspoken inquiry will remain unanswered…for now.

"Let's see… The collar was flawless, thus, it surely worked… Could it be yet another feat from my very own _hell-raiser_? I knew I should have ended _him_ the day he was born! Not that it would have been easy… The Emperor sure did take a liking to him… going as far as to assign Haschwalth as the kid's personal coach, instructor and tutor… That is, until **Kasper Braam*** and Ichirou Shirosaki made their appearances. Shoot! I'm getting off track… Shirosaki and the device… Shirosaki should not be alive, but he is…how?!"

Back to pacing. Soren's strides were long and nervous as though he would jump out of his skin at any given sound.

"It must have been _him_ … _He_ did something…but in such a short time? Oh, well. It wouldn't be the first time _he_ achieved the impossible… In that case, Shirosaki should not remember his past, just like Masaki and all other souls who reincarnate. Another thing to add on the to do list… Double check on Shirosaki and assure he really does not have any recollection of his previous life… I'll give this one to Haschwalth, but I'll closely monitor this task… the two did get along rather well for complete opposites. Ah! Finally, another issue almost solved."

Having arrived to a solution made him pause both his musing and steps. There were a few tense seconds when everything was quiet. Until broken by a loud puff of air.

"Ah. That leaves only the task to get more samples for myself and the 'research-team'. Or at least, these are the most pressing ones. I don't have many subjects left, which means I need to gain more… Oh, that should be easy enough. The new Academy Year should start soon, which simultaneously means more 'fresh meat'. I'll definitely use the brutes from the Eleventh to get me some new tests for the four makeshift scientists. By the end of the year, there will be many new Shinigami available for the picking… I'll just have to keep an eye out for the two puppets from Squad Seven and Eight. With any luck, they will stay alive until the end of the Academy Year, when I'll get even more marionettes."

Having said that, Soren started to nod his head in approval, as though re-affirming that all which had to be done had been, indeed, finalized. And at a good time too, as the first rays of the rising sun started to penetrate through the dense foliage, reminding him that he had spent the entire night in the open.

"It's morning already? Better get back to Wandenreich and set the rest in motion, but at a later time. Yeah… probably much later… got to get at least a few hours before having to deal with that mess again."

With that said, Soren moved into a rather fast Shunpo, eager to leave the mansions premises. Once in a 'safe-zone' he would use the medallion which would take him to Wandenreich and in the comfort of his chambers. Oblivious to the world and to the detail that most, if not all of his plans, had been overheard by a dangerous group.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

Might want to mention this, but if anyone noticed, I am not writing the meaning of names which Tite Kubo used for his characters. I regret to say, but I am not **yet** a fluent Japanese speaker (getting there, work in progress xD). Therefore, I do not wish to just put what I think may be the right meaning of names he already used. On the other hand, any and all names I create, give and/or make will have an explanation ^.^

 ***10th Seat and third leader*** – in the anime/manga Ogidō Harunobu is actually the **8th** Seat of Squad Four and **second leader** of the **first** relief team. I gave him lower positions due to the fact we are still a long way away from the original timeline. Completely different from Umesada Toshimori. Call me mean, but I could never bear to give him a promotion whether in the past or future.

As is tradition in Japan to present people with last names followed by first names, this is the same principle I will try and use when presenting Shinigami.

 ***Kobayashi Arata*** – **Kobayashi** is a Japanese surname meaning 'small forest'. Never underestimate the little ones, they are the ones with the biggest bite xD **Arata** is a first name, meaning 'fresh new'

 ***Omori Hayato*** – **Omori** is a combination of the kanji characters 'O' and 'MORI' (sorry, don't have the keyboard for kanji) which mean 'big' and 'forest'. **Hayato** means 'falcon person' or something like that xD

 ***Kimura Kento*** – **Kimura** means 'wood village' while **Kento** is from 'KEN' (healthy, strong) and 'TO' (person).

 ***Matsuoka Takeshi*** – From Japanese 'MATSU' (pine tree) and 'OKA' (ridge, hill) and **Takeshi** which means 'military, martial'

 ***Chiharu Chimon*** – **Chiharu** means 'springs and clear skies' and **Chimon** 'gate of wisdom'. I thought it would be a nice name for a store selling beauty/healthy products for both sexes xD

 ***Kaido*** is also known as healing Kido. These spells do not have known names, numbers, or incantations and simply heal the targeted area or individual. As the user holds his/her hands above the wound, palms glow with green spiritual energy which is directed toward the zone in need of healing.

 ***Kasper Braam*** – ok, I will admit, I played a bit with this name. **_Kasper_** is a **_German_** name meaning 'a treasured secret', but many will remember or think of the name "Casper", that of 'a friendly ghost'. All in all, it was perfect for my enigmatic lecturer. On the other hand, **_Braam_** is a **_Dutch_** surname, meaning 'Blackberry' (yummy). I love languages, so I will have many names from all over the world. Don't shoot me in advance if I mix a few in between xD

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or errors, please let me know. I am the writer and spellcheck person all in one and at times (most of the time), after I type things, I simply see them as I wanted them to be. Alas, mistakes happen. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D_

 _Time for me to get to bed too :)_


	28. Chapter 28

_Hello everyone :)_

 _I'm back xD_

 _We have Chapter XXVIII_ _– finally!_

 _Same good disclaimer, reminder and warnings:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Dear Lord it's been forever since the last chapter. My deepest apologies everyone!

As proof of my regret here comes one hell of a chapter. It's the longest to date and my biggest record in both length and posting delay.

Without further ado, please enjoy – I know I had lots of fun getting this one done x3

* * *

 _Chapter XXVIII_

Upon Soren's leave, lifeless silence befell the forest and, though the sun was rising, not a single bird chirped while the wind remained calm and unmoving as if nature itself sensed an unspoken need for quietness. Or so it felt for one Shihoin Yoruichi. The cat may seem stress-free, what with her body being leisurely sprawled on the hybrids shoulders.

However, in reality, she felt the heavy tension lingering in the air. It was as thought the area surrounding them was separated from the rest of the waking world. Had it not been for the light emitted by the central stone, they surely would be engulfed in darkness. That too was unusual, but she refrained from speaking. There would be time for it later. For now, she had to tread carefully, least the youngster whose shoulders she occupied went completely ballistic.

Her feelings must have been reciprocated by the stoic Emperor, if his firm yet calm stance was any indication. Although, now that she looked more carefully, she could see hints of anger, frustration and sadness in those deep reddish-brown orbs. The man's left hand which was on top of the central stone was also twitching and, occasionally, gripping the unfortunate stone a bit too firmly. Which made her come to another fascinating realization. Just when did the man put his hand on it? She should have perceived or at least sensed when that happened. Yet, here was the solid proof that she failed to notice something so trivial.

A deep exhale resonated around them, courtesy of the Quincy King, whit that whichever spell encircled them abruptly broke. The pressure was noticeably reduced. Still, the Hollow member of their group kept the same posture. It was as though the change in the atmosphere overlooked him entirely. His head was dejectedly lowered down and his eyes covered by long fringes. His expression was a deep frown, bordering on fury. Yes, she was not out of the woods so to speak. And oh man, was that ironic or what? Even for someone like her.

Looking back at the Emperor, she was astonished to see a large black substance towering over the imposing male.

 _'When did he do that? Wait! Is that his doing in the first place? So many questions, so few answers.'_

As the regal man approached them, so did the shadow-like form, confirming her suspicion that it was in fact the Quincy King controlling whatever obscured thing was. Instinctively, she must have tilted her head in a questioning manner, as the man simply nodded his head as though assuring that everything was under control. The elder male gently placed his right hand on the Hollow's left upper arm. Before long, darkness enveloped them in a tender caress.

* * *

At the Urahara Shoten one shop keeper was restless and busy plotting. The normally laid-back scientist was swimming within his mind in an ocean full of chances, odds, possibilities and other likelihoods. Never had he imagined the Hogyoku would have been this troublesome. Ever since he found the gem and activating it, life has gone upside down. And yet, even after all the issues surrounding the mysterious trinket, he had to admit, it brought lots of excitements… challenges he would have never got to experience. Thus, no matter how crazy it might sound, he was glad he encountered the tiny thingamajig.

 _'Now then, I have a better understanding of the situation. Seems like the Quincy Emperor and Shirosaki-san were not lying. They are keeping many things to themselves, that's for sure… Especially names… But who am I to judge? After all, I too have my little secrets here and there. What bothers me the most is that I can't get a proper reiatsu reading from either one of them, even with the cloaks I provided. They were supposed to collect some interesting data, especially from Hollow-san… Aw, such a shame. Looks like they are much more careful than I gave them credit for. Plan **G** it is then!'_

Suddenly much more animated than a few minutes ago, the crazy scientist resumed to do what he does best. Analyzing the situation and all conversations which transpired on this long night.

What the shop owner did not expect was the abrupt disappearance of his subjects of interest along with his long time best friend.

"Oh… this isn't good. How…? Urgh… They sure don't make my job easy and here is thought Shirosaki-san's Garganta was remarkable for leaving no traces of ever being opened or closed… But this feels different. I just hope Yoruichi-san will be fine."

His mumbling was cut short by a deep grunt of "Tenchou, everything is fine." A large hand grabbed his left and he was given a hot cup of tea. Honestly, Tessai-san was so keen on everything even without being told a single word. At times, it was frightening.

"I know Tessai-san, she's good and will return to us one way or the other. Just make sure you don't tell her about my quick lapse. She can be quite scary when she knows we were anxious about her whereabouts."

A light shiver passed through both males and while one left to get a few hours of sleep, the other typed frantically on a mini computer-like device.

"Just be safe Yoruichi-san. There is much we still don't know about these fellows."

* * *

 _'Freezing! What is with Quincies and the cold? First that forsaken place in the middle of nowhere and now this?! Whatever this is…'_

These were Yoruichi's first thoughts on the darkness which engulfed them. The youngster, on whose shoulders she rested, did not flinch at all. Not even the slightest move or reaction. It was worrisome. She preferred the spirited, easy to tease daredevil, thank you much. Even so, she was confused. What was going on in that white head?

 _'Guess I'll bring the subject up once we're out of this arctic black-hole! Not even my fur can keep me warm enough. I'm probably more sensitive than usual because the Hollow's skin too is cooler than that of a regular human. I really didn't need the additional chill!'_

Her inner annoyance met an early death-stop, as the obscurity was slowly, but surely dissipating from their surroundings, taking away the bitter icy sensation. Looking around she was surprised to find they were elsewhere. It was still dark, a round room with no windows. Still, even shrouded in dark she could make out certain objects and items.

A large picture of sorts decorated the right wall, underneath it stood a small cabinet. On the left, like a sore thumb, stood out a large closet, probably the same shade as the cabinet. Not that a closet is unusual in any room, but this one was simply too large to be a mere decoration or storage.

Movement caught her attention and she could see the Emperor move with sure and steady steps in the direction of the suspicious closet. Though it should be impossible for humans to see much considering the room was not lit up, the man seemed unperturbed and was gently caressing the large piece of furniture. Shortly after, a clicking sound resounded through the silent chamber. The doors opened, but there was nothing inside safe for another door in its middle.

 _'How intriguing.'_

Opening those doors lead to another chamber. The first thing which captured her attention was the light. The reason being as there were no switches or other devices which produced electricity and yet pale blue light illuminated the room the moment they went inside as though the tiny suite knew when people required it to shine.

From what she could tell at first glance, the facility was to be used as an emergency complex, if the kitchenette, cabinets and bed were any indication.

 _'Hmm…The door closest to the bed must be a restroom of sorts. Most likely, the cupboards are filled with food supplies and other necessities. Most interesting. It reminds me of the room we visited in Wandenreich not too long ago. Although, it looks like this one doesn't change. Shame. I would have had nothing against some tuna.'_

The cat's musing was broken, when she felt someone lifting her from the Hollow's shoulders, followed by a calm voice.

"Apologies, Shihoin-san, but you may want to step down for a bit. Shirosaki is truly trying hard not to burst-up in flames of fury."

She gazed into those reddish-brown orbs and silently nodded her furry head in understanding. A small, sad looking smile was her only reward.

Several tense minutes flew by. No one was ready to make a move nor a sound. Anxiety and tension rising steadily as a tide.

Finally, unexpectedly, a loud exhale echoed within the small site, taking with it most of the pressure away. Yet, it neglected to remove the palpable apprehension lingering in the air.

Shirosaki was opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. It would have been amusing, if it wasn't such a dire situation. Ossan knew. Any mocking at the present would result in catastrophe. He could only pray Shihoin-san would be as understanding as he himself. It appeared there was no reason for worry, as Shirosaki crossed his hands around his chest and started to pace in small circles, immersed in thoughts, murmuring every few seconds.

"That bastard… And he continues to irritate me to no end… He still does as usual, testing and experimenting. It's why I hate crazy-ass-wanna-be-scientists… But it should have all been destroyed… We did infiltrate his labs… Yeah, we… we blow them up and made them go boom like lovely fireworks… There shouldn't have been anything left… How? Did we miss something? Is it possible there was another one? What did the bastard say again? Something about 'dungeon-turned-lab'… Just where did he hide this one… A dungeon…"

Gradually, Shirosaki paused. His whole body was tense, but after the Hollow's circling around, the stiffness in the air had somewhat lessened. He looked at his companion, searching for something in those upset reddish-brown eyes. Yes, Shirosaki could see them sparkle with an unnatural light. Two being interlocked into one. He had to ask now or abandon his chance.

"You wouldn't know about any dungeons Soren might have turned into a laboratory, would you?

The question had come as a surprise to the older male. He closed his eyes and rummaged through his memories for anything that could possibly match that description. Yet, nothing came to mind. Any and all dungeons had been in public spaces. As in any other empire, there were always knaves and scoundrels who broke the law. Thus, it was imperative to have sturdy prisons for transgressor. Naturally, those were for human culprits. Any spiritually-aware offenders were dealt with at the palace. Most times such crimes were brought forth by lack of control or knowledge.

In those situations, the Emperor always made sure to thoroughly investigate each case individually. Those who used powers, but were not aware of having them, were trained in control and, by the end of the training, recruited. Based on their general knowledge and skills, these men and women turned to become army members, servants, tutors or anything else, depending on their desires, intellect, eagerness, dedication and preferences.

Regrettably, there were also those who were aware and well in control of their reiatsu and punishments were dealt accordingly. These were also taken care of on a case-to-case situation. If it was a rich transgressor, monetary fines did not have an impact on the wrongdoer but was highly effective against poorer classes. For richer brats there were other penalties which depended on what such individuals hated the most. It was exceedingly rare they required to use force or death sentences. Still, there were situations which required such harsh measures.

Back on the topic at hand. He did go through a huge mental list of all cells, dungeons, jails, lockup houses and prisons. They were all relatively small and in the open, separated from other public buildings, therefore there were no opportunities to make them larger. Also, the capacity was minimal as verdicts were quick and efficient. Human malefactors were notorious and their judgement harsh and to the point. Public displays were not enforced, but on occasion, proved to be a good reminding method.

"No. All were either too small or under my jurisdiction. None of the ones I am aware of could have possibly been refurbished into anything reminiscent of a laboratory."

The way it was said, left no space for doubts or second guessing. At least in Yoruichi's opinion. And yet, Shirosaki did not seem content. If his calm yet angry words were any indication.

"Dig deeper. There must be one… Actually, there is one, am I right?"

Shirosaki took a few cautious steps closer to the Emperor. Barely audibly he whispered.

"The same one where **_he_** had been tortured."

At those words, Ossan's eyes became huge. Instantly reddish-brown turned an intense and bright sky-blue. Unbeknownst to his travel companions, an unknown location accompanied by faint screams flashed before Ossan's eyes.

 _The space was huge and dark…no… there was a candle or two flickering in the distance with each jerk of a rusty colored leather whip. Agony… there was so much pain and suffering… Hide… he had to conceal… No! He had to pull someone out of there… Away from the anguish and mind-breaking torment._

Ossan started to shake on his spot. His hands reflexively wrapped around himself in an attempt to shield his body from the unbearable living nightmare. He was trembling and panting. His reiatsu spilling out in dangerous waves. Sky-blue eyes were glowing from too much reiatsu. Shirosaki was astonished and more than a little fearful for his partner. He had not expected such a strong reaction. Without further delay, he grabbed the older male by the shoulders, calling him out. He tried with all his might to shake him out of whatever had entrapped the usually stoic and collected man. Somehow, he knew this was not supposed to happen.

"OSSAN! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

His efforts seemed to be in vain. Nothing he did or said was getting him anywhere near calming the other down. That is, until a memory ran amok in his overly worried brain. A similar situation, but a different person. Yes, the one he did to had been asleep and waking from a nightmare, while Ossan had been fully awake. He closed his eyes for all of two seconds. He hoped it would work. Once he opened them, he placed his hands on Ossans' face, forcing the male to watch him face-to-face, eyes-to-eyes. His next sentences were uttered calmly in a soft voice.

"Ossan. Look at me. Focus on nothing but my eyes. Watch closely. I know you can do it."

There must have been recognition, though the blue orbs were still glazed, trapped elsewhere, in another time.

"Good. You're doing great. Keep your attention on me… That's it. There is nothing but you and me. Now, I need you to breath with me. Take a breath in… Good… Slowly, let it out. Just you and me. You're looking at me and my eyes… nothing else matters. Come back to me."

Like an enchantment, all the agony, fear and misery dissipated and Ossan was back in control of himself. He blinked a few times as though clearing both his spirit and mind. Shirosaki released him, but never removed his eyes from the other.

Taking a deep breath, Ossan looked around. His mind doing a fast-forward recap. The Shinigami Aizen and his accomplices, the rough unusual Hollow destroyed by Masaki, her injury which would be healed by either the Shinigami Taichou or Ishida Soken, Soren's meeting and plans… He had taken a very upset Shirosaki to the underground passage of the destroyed mansion to avoid an angry reiatsu explosion from his protégé… They had been talking about something… Then nothing but gold amidst impenetrable darkness. Something had been wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on what precisely.

A loud puff of air from his pale ward made him look back into those captivating eyes. Why would he think they were fascinating? His train of thoughts was broken but a deep masculine voice.

"Well, that was weird. But please don't mind me. I have nothing against watching the two of you going at it, as long as you let me participate at one point or the other."

It took a full second for the cat's words to register in the minds of the occupants. Naturally, it was Shirosaki who fully comprehended the meaning behind those words and he laughed lightheartedly while giving the cat an amused evil look only a Hollow could bestow upon another soul.

"Aw… Is the kitty feeling left out? No worries, you can watch me all you want right here, right now. That is before I go to bed. Once at the Shoten we do have rules. And as I said, watching, no touching."

Shirosaki deliberately moved his right-hand index finger in a 'no-no' fashion, smiling like a predator about to pounce on its unsuspecting prey. It was enough to make Yoruichi bristle and shiver at the challenge. She really needed to find a way to get back at the unruly Hollow. The tease.

Ossan, being the most composed individual among the trio, dismissed the whole situation in favor of asking Shirosaki a question of his own.

"I apologize for temporarily forgetting myself, but I do expect a full explanation Shirosaki. Now, have you cooled off long enough so we can be on our way back? It has been an extremely long day and I would prefer to take a rest before contacting Haschwalth to give him all the updates. Not to mention, forewarn him regarding PePe Waccabrada and all other traitors."

Yoruichi was surprised at those words. Did the Quincy King not recall what had just transpired? It was both peculiar and rather disturbing. Especially considering the reiatsu output. Another thing she noticed, was the Hollow's reaction. It certainly did not seem like an action made many times. The concern was genuine and his first efforts were a natural course which she would have attempted as well.

But the second option, the one which did pacify the older male down, had been unusual. It had been a big gamble and a dangerous move. She had seen people getting killed when pulling off such a move. The Emperor had been down memory-lane, a deep and forgotten one at that. People in such situations can react rashly and may injure the one trying to bring them back on track. Grabbing the individuals by the shoulders guaranteed some safety as hand movements were restricted. It also gave you an additional reaction time, enough to avoid being severely injured.

Nonetheless, the Hollow released the shoulders and grabbed the face instead. Dangerous and stupid. Focusing on the face, the youngster would have had absolutely no chances of defending himself and the response time to avoid fatal wounds was minimal to none-existent. There were so many scenarios where this situation could have gone wrong and in so many ways it was no laughing matter.

Still, here they were, all safe and sound. She would have to figure out a way to make sure the Quincy King slept at the Shoten for a while. The Emperors' reiatsu was too heavy and hazardous for normal souls. She hated to admit, but she herself would have been crushed, had the energy been directed solely in one direction. It was a saving grace that it was spilling at random. Jut as thought the man did not want to release his hold on his power but was not focused enough to prevent bits and pieces of it from leaking in fast and hard punches. If that is the case, then his true power must be beyond terrifying. Oh boy, they were in for a bumpy ride, that's for sure.

"Yeah, sure Ossan. We really do need to get some sleep. Do you want to stay here? No hard feelings, but I think this is the best place for you to rest tonight… well, today. You said it yourself, this place is protected and no reiatsu signatures can be felt from the outside no matter how much you use it. I can take the cat-lady and meet you in the morning. You know what, make it late afternoon."

Ossan was about to agree, but Yoruichi would not allow it. She had to get them both to the Shoten. At least they could gather some data and Tessai was very capable when it came to barriers. If she combined her power with the ex-Kido Master, it should be more than enough even against a power of such magnitude.

"Nonsense. I would suggest we all go to the Shoten for the night. Tessai may not look like much, but his barriers are very impressive. It would also spare us the trouble of going back and forth. Furthermore, the Shoten is very nicely guarded against any listening devices. Kisuke may be a pervert, but he I one hell of a genius. It will also be easier to contact Haschwalth-san from the store. I am sure Kisuke has already made a few gadgets to facilitate exactly that."

She tried not to seem too eager, but her efforts were a lost cause to the two men. Shirosaki had his notorious smirk firmly plastered on his face, while Ossan was contemplating the probabilities. In the end, he decided to agree just for the fun of it, to see just how good the mischief-trio was.

"Very well. Shirosaki, think you can open a portal to the shop or at least near it from here?"

Shirosaki was a bit surprised by the answer. He had been almost a hundred percent sure Ossan would have declined the offer. Oh, well. It could be very entertaining. Thankfully, his smirk prevented anyone from noticing his astonishment. Concentrating for a few seconds, he tried to see if he could surprise the annoying Getabōshi. His sadistic smile, followed by a flick of his hand was answer enough.

"Sure thing. Hop aboard the MS Garganta. It's not going to be a long journey, but it will be short and worth the trouble."

With that said, he entered the black void without a second thought. Yoruichi gently hopped on the older males' shoulders and made herself comfortable. Without words, Ossan entered the Garganta, his blue eyes glowing in the deep darkness.

The Garganta opened right behind an unsuspecting shopkeeper who was in the process of destroying his keyboard. Needless to say, he was thoroughly startled by the sudden appearance of the three missing individuals. Shirosaki did make him slightly jump when he grabbed him from behind. Having seen the Garganta and the remaining two right behind the impish Hollow, calmed his frying nerves down. Something he would never confess. Not even under threat of torture.

"Ah, good morning everyone. Welcome back."

Shirosaki, who was snickering, just waved the greeting off, his tone playful and treacherous.

"Not now Getabōshi. We're all tired so we are all going straight to bed. Ossan will sleep in my room. Hope you have a futon or something like that. Oh! As a precaution, I suggest not disturbing us until we get up on our own. You may also want to make some really good barriers just in case. Good night and see you later."

Without any delay, Shirosaki grabbed the silent Ossan. He made sure both cloaks were removed from them and dragged an unwilling Ossan to his room. Leaving behind two surprised faces. On the way, they met Tessai who had overheard the conversation via transmitter and prepared an additional futon in the guest room. No words were exchanged, but a kind smile and a nod of the head from Shirosaki made him aware the other was thankful.

Back in the recently appointed 'conference' room, one Urahara Kisuke and Shihoin Yoruichi wordlessly watched the two unruly characters leave in the directions of the Hollow's room.

"Well, Yoruichi-san. I dare say the night was eventful."

Yoruichi was not impressed. She expected a better reaction out of her long-time friend.

"Cut the crap Kisuke. You totally lost us for a while there. And don't even think of lying. I know for a fact that we were gone without a trace. The transmitters were off, else I would have heard your maniacal keying. I'll give you more details in a couple of hours. In the meantime, have you noticed anything unusual?"

Urahara nodded his head in understanding. It was true, it had been a long day.

"Hm… You mean besides a change of colors in the Emperors eyes, nothing much. My cloaks were not able to get even a sliver of reiatsu. And after all the trouble I have gone to prepare them."

The last sentence was said with a little whine. Not for the first time, Yoruichi wondered just what was going on behind Kisuke's intelligent eyes. She knew him very well by now and though he was trying to hide it, Kisuke was already scheming one thing or the other. That was all the reassurance she needed and she too made her way to one of the guest rooms. With a last glance at her friend, she quietly added.

"You know, you may want to actually listen to the Hollow's suggestion."

That got the others attention.

"Not to worry, Tessai-san is probably already on it as we speak."

Yoruichi scoffed at the childish behavior.

"You didn't catch my point. But since we're already playing games, know that we should make it triple the maximum strength."

Those words did make the shop owner pause and become instantly serious.

"It is that dire."

"Just so you know, I was not the one to bring them here. They had no tips and no guidance from my side."

An ominous silence followed. Tipping his had forward, Urahara considered the meaning behind his friends' antics. For Yoruichi-san to say such a thing… He knew he had to act and take it to heart. Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san were most certainly no ordinary Quincy and Hybrid.

"Understood. I'll ask Tessai-san to do his best."

Speaking of the devil, mentioned man approached the duo with even more dreadful news.

"There will not be a need for my expertise tonight Tenchou."

Blinking in surprise, Urahara shot a curious look at his associate.

"What do you mean?"

Tessai took a big breath before continuing.

"There is already a barrier in place. I've never felt it being placed. Hence, I'm positive it must be a hard one to bypass. I could probably go outside, but I'm not confident I would be able to re-enter easily."

That was most certainly not normal. Something that a Kido Master wouldn't be able to preach? This gave the silent scientist an even greater motivation to pry the secret behind the two guests sleeping in his humble abode.

"Very well then. I guess it is time we all do go get some rest. I have the neat sensation that things are about to get even more interesting."

With that everyone within the shop retired for the night-turned-sunrise. A few hours would do all of them some good.

* * *

If there was one thing Shiba Isshin hated more than paperwork, it was early mornings. Seriously, why would anyone want to willingly rise from a comfortable bed before noon? Looking around, he noticed he was not in his bed. Huh? Must have been one of the reasons he woke up in the first place. The other factor may have been distributed to the yelling outside the room. Speaking of which… giving the chamber a once over, he realized he was in the Fourth Division healing wing.

As thought zapped by a Byakurai, his memories came flooding back. The strange occurrences in the World of the Living, his deceased men, the weird looking Hollow and the traitorous sword which had pierced his back. Yeah, that one had been a low-blow. Who could have possibly attacked him without his notice?

There was more. Just at the thought, a gentle smile graced his features. A beautiful and strong girl. Masaki. Such a lovely name, for such a remarkable lady. Though it was normally a name for males, somehow it fit her to a T. His reminiscence was interrupted by the sliding of doors.

A slender and very youthful woman with stone blue eyes and long-black hair worn in a large braid came into the room. She wears the standard Shinigami-Taichou uniform tied-up with an obi instead of the normal sash. Her expression is serene, but Isshin was no fool. He knew that despite the Fourth Division Taichou appeared calm and tranquil, she was far from that. In fact, he could not hear anything outside, which meant she already had dealt with the loud bunch.

"Good morning Shiba-Taichou. How do you feel today?"

Boy was he glad he had not been on the receiving end of her ice-glaze.

"Ah… I am doing fine. Thank you very much Unohana-Taichou. Looks like it will be another beautiful day today."

Seems like he passed the initial test as Unohana appeared to be pleased.

"Indeed. I am here to double check all your wounds have fully healed and to inform you of the upcoming Captain's meeting which will be held as soon as we finish. It should take no more than six minutes considering the rate with which you normally heal. The Sōtaichō is very impatient to hear why you left for the World of the Living without authorization."

Isshin nodded in understanding, not daring to utter a single syllable. In most cases, he would have already received a message with his punishment for doing something without permission. Just as he was pondering what made him so special, Unohana-Taichou proceeded to clarify.

"Ah. I am sure you are wondering why he is being so lenient. Well, your injuries are to blame, as well as my contribution."

The confused look prompted the Fourth Taichou to continue.

"It is highly unusual for a Taichou to sustain so much damage in one single mission. Therefore, I took it upon myself to request for a meeting where you can explain what transpired prior to punishing you. After all, we did not detect much of what happened. Yet, three officers perished and a Taichou returned severely wounded. I believe that whatever happened was far from the norm."

Her response was a pensive look marring the usually jolly Shiba. She was glad she took that decision. She met the Tenth Taichou last night when he returned from the Living World. His state, spoke of a terrible battle. All Taichou's received a report stating that three officers were killed and that Shiba-Taichou had disappeared, making him the prime suspect.

Upon seeing him, she knew the report to be wrong. She was willing to bet, the upbeat Taichou felt guilty after hearing his members died from his Third Seat and decided to take matters into his own hands in hopes of avoiding any more unnecessary deaths. Everything else was just speculation. Though, she was sure he engaged in battle against whatever had attacked his division officers. The lost members were probably either too close to the battle or ended up dying while trying to prove themselves to a Taichou.

Concluding all those thoughts by merely giving a quick glance at her colleagues' wounds, she made her mind and reported to the Sōtaichō. It was fortunate that she was one of the eldest Taichou's alive, more so for being from the first group. She did avoid most of the privileges that gave her, but in certain occasions it did come in handy. Just like in this particularly peculiar case.

As predicted, she inspected the other and within six minutes they were both ready to attend the meeting at Squad One's quarters. For a change the two of them were the last ones to enter the meeting room, besides the Sōtaichō and his Fuku-taichou. It was a nice change of pace to see Matsumoto-Fuku-Taichou and the Eleventh Division Taichou on time. All of the Kenpachis were well known to be late. Shiba-Taichou did seem a little apprehensive, but any anxiety soon dissolved as his famous determination resurfaced. Soon after the double doors of the barracks opened revealing two elderly males.

The first one to enter was an ancient looking man with very long eyebrows and an even longer white beard. Two prominent scars above his right eye speak of many past battles. He wears a greatly exaggerated over-sized Shinigami uniform. The Taichou's Haori is draped over his back instead of being worn. Despite appearing to be old and frail, he has a very muscular body, not that one could see it thanks to the Shihakusho. His eyes are partially closed slits most of the time, but when open, mahogany-red eyes spark with a fierce display of wisdom and a sharp mind. This man is none other than Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, the Sōtaichō and Taichou of Squad One. The oldest and strongest Shinigami alive. He is never seen without his cinder colored cane, which conceals his trusty Zanpakuto Ryūjin Jakka the oldest and most powerful fire-type Zanpakuto in all Soul Society. The two eldest are the founders of the Shinigami Academy as well as the Gotei 13, having been around during the creation of Soul Society itself.

The other male is not as old looking, but he was definitely not in his prime. Sasakibe Chōjirō Tadaoki has marigold eyes, short silver-gray hair and a small black handlebar mustache with lightly tanned skin. He wears a white jinbaori over the standard Shinigami uniform, while underneath he wears a white turtle-neck and long white arm guards. The First Division Fuku-taichou armband is securely worn on his left arm.

With the arrival of the two and the loud strike of Yamamoto's cane, the meeting began.

"This Captain's meeting will now commence. Shiba-Taichou you are to immediately give a detailed account of last night's events."

With a nod of his head Isshin stepped forward and gave his report on everything from the moment he came to the World of the Living. He made sure to point out the rare count his subordinates mentioned regarding the mysterious Hollow and its preference to attack during times of rain. The poor sap unaware of the fact it had been two entirely different Hollows. His belief that the Hollow would appear if he was to raise his reiatsu. A plan which backfired and caused the death of his underlings. His battle with the shady Hollow-like creature. It was at this point that he chose to make slight alterations from the original story-line.

He left out the part related to of the unknown Shinigami who attacked him from behind. Since he had not been able to even get a glimpse of the person responsible for that particular injury, he opted to keep it out of records. He would deal with it in his own time. He may act like a goofball, but there was a reason he was the Taichou of the Tenth. Another thing which he left out was the young Quincy's involvement. The poor girl had been so worried about telling him what she was. The leas he could do was to respect her bravery and confidence by not revealing her little secret.

He explained the weird appearance of the Hollow, its movements, techniques. He claimed that once severely damaged by their fight, the Hollow self-destroyed right in front of him wounding him even more, which resulted in his visit to the Fourth Division, where he promptly passed-out from blood-loss.

"And with this, I finalize my report on recent events."

The silence which followed his words did not last long. The Sōtaichō took a few moments to digest everything, but ultimately made his decision.

"I see. Even though you did go without permission, your swift action kept the death pool to the lowest and the damage to the Human World was minimal. Therefore, on this sole occasion, I will overlook your violation of the rules."

Isshin left a breath he had not been aware of keeping in.

"Nice…I… I mean…Thank you very much!"

He deeply bowed to his supreme commander in a humble display of appreciation. Isshin hoped no one would question his narration. A scoff and an annoyed tone momentarily froze him on the spot.

A quick glance was all it took for Isshin to locate the perpetrator. Upon finding out it had been the Twelfth Division Taichou who made the noise, he internally relaxed. The man in question was smaller than Isshin himself. While Isshin towered with his 6'1'', Kurotsuchi Mayuri stood at only 5'8''. Though shorter, the Twelfth Taichou was intimidating in his own ways. He has a skeletal look with a skull-like visage. The outer part of the face is painted in white while the inner portion is in black at the exception of the nose. Golden, calculating and malicious eyes looked at others with either indifference or a desire to dissect. Both ears are stubbed golden cones. His short fingernails are blue, although the fingernail on his right middle finger is as long as the finger itself. A white hat with two ends that point to his right conceal any hair, if there was any and a large purple scarf surrounded his neck.

Knowing the other Taichou well enough, Isshin was sure a complain unrelated to the case was to ensure. True to his thoughts, mentioned Taichou voiced his protest.

"Hah! I personally believe it is a much bigger sin not having brought back the body of this so called 'Mysterious Hollow'. At least with the cadaver we could have determined what made it so different from the others."

Squad Twelfths continuous rambling about wasted opportunities and specimens was brought to an end once the Sōtaichō spoke again.

"In any case. Your account on the Hollow's demise is vague to say the least."

Deathly still silence befell the meeting hall, while the Sōtaichō opened his eyes to look deeply into those of his subordinate.

"Is there nothing else you wish to add to your report Shiba-Taichou? Do you consider there is nothing else worth mentioning?"

The question did not come as much of a surprise to Isshin. Though, it made him think of the relief in the girls face when he did not shun her for being a Quincy. With steely eyes he never wavered when answering.

"Yes. Nothing else."

A mini-staring contest began between the two. Seeing as the Shiba branch head was not relenting, the Sōtaichō proceeded to continue the meeting.

"On to the next subject. Seeing as this case has been finally solved, there will be no need for Kuchiki-Taichou's departure to the World of the Living. Next, we have a constant issue with missing juniors. Due to the now closed Hollow issue in the Living World, those who went missing in action, will now be officially proclaimed as deceased. As much as it pains me to lose young life, we cannot search for each individual. However, this does not mean the remaining absent ones will be left alone. Each Taichou is to make a list of missing subordinates with details as to where they were last seen and with whom they associated with. As of late, these numbers are steadily increasing."

The Sōtaichō made a quick pause to emphasize the importance of the issue.

"Next, the shift in the Jureichi in the World of the Living is causing quite the disturbance and with it we can expect higher class Hollows. This along with missing squad members is becoming a troublesome affair. Since the shift is occurring as per its natural course, we simply cannot worry about possible rebels from with our very own lines. Therefore, I expect a full report by the end of the week. Kurotsuchi-Taichou, you will continue to monitor the World of the Living and the settlement of the Jureichi. You will immediately notify all Taichou once everything is settled down."

A begrudgingly "Hai." Was his sole response. Nonetheless, the elder continued.

"All findings and reports regarding the missing subordinates are to be given to Aizen-Taichou, who will, along with Shiba-Taichou and Kuchiki-Taichou, form a team to investigate, find and bring the absent ones to justice. Should there be proof of a revolution against the Gotei, you will have permission to use force."

A chorus of "Hai, Sōtaichō!" from mentioned Taichou resonated through the hall. Without missing a beat, the Sōtaichō proceeded.

"Komamura-Taichou, Tousen-Taichou and Ukitake-Taichou, you will supervise the opening ceremony at the Academy in a few days' time. Based from the initial accounts, most missing personnel was either fresh or recently out of the Academy. Pay extra attention to those who are about to graduate as well as anyone suspicious no matter the year. With this, the meeting is over!"

The bang of the commanders' cane signalized for everyone to immediately get to their assignments, jobs and missions.

Most Taichou and Fuku-taichou were pleased with the outcome and made themselves scarce while returning to their Squads. Falling behind were the Taichou and Fuku-taichou from Divisions Five, Six, Seven, Nine, Ten and Thirteen. An upbeat Ukitake-Taichou invited the whole group for a cup of tea and to further discuss the assigned tasks. In the end, he ended up getting a positive feedback only from the Taichou and Fuku-taichou of Squads Seven and Nine. The remaining three claimed they had to regroup and discuss the matter of the missing personnel.

Among the Taichou assigned to this particular job, none was as unsettled as Aizen-Taichou. Not that one could tell by looking at the man as he was as collected as ever, with a pleasant smile on his face. Isshin had never had an issue with the male, but he never felt comfortable around him either. For whichever reason, he found the Fifth-Taichou creepy. It all the years he had been a Taichou and even prior to that, not once did he see the other upset. Come to think about it, he never saw any other emotion on the man's features other than the calm and gentle smile.

Considering Isshin was the Taichou of the Tenth and in charge of the investigation unit, he had gathered intel on each Taichou and Fuku-taichou respectively. It was a habit he harbored. The more he knew about others and their quirks made it that much easier to tease and be aware how far he could go with playing or fooling around. Not only that, he had a deeper understanding of their emotions, feelings, stress factors and much more. Therefore, he knew without a doubt that there was something wrong with the Fifth-Taichou. No one could be perfect for that long without snapping at least once.

Another thing which unsettled him was the fact he never managed to get the other into a friendly battle or spar. Aizen-Taichou had been present during his Captaincy test and witnessed Isshins' Bankai along with the Sōtaichō and Kyoraku-Taichou. Since then, not once did Isshin use his Bankai. Not out of laziness as many believed, but due to not having had a need. His Shikai and the many techniques of the Shiba clan made him strong enough to withstand many challenges.

Taking into consideration all these facts, Isshin started to doubt the Fifth's sincerity. The blade which pierced him last night had felt unfamiliar. The only blade he had no contact with was Aizen's and on top of that the lack of data he had was more than enough to make him distrustful. Even as he contemplated all these thoughts, he was surprised the Sōtaichō had assigned Aizen as the leader of this particularly sensitive assignment. It will not be the first time Isshin had to work with the other, but this was the first time he truly disliked the idea. Especially if Aizen was somehow connected to the whole incident.

It was Matsumoto who brought him out of his mussing by giving him a particularly hard elbow to the stomach. Looking at her, her realized he had been utterly lost in thoughts. They had reached the Fifth Division's barracks and he had not even noticed. Apparently, they had been invited to have a cup of tea accompanied by a plan of actions. Good thing he already had most of the information regarding the absent officers in his division. At least it should make things easier.

The tea and chatter took quite a while. It was agreed that all data and intel was to be handed over to Aizen and his Fuku-taichou Hinamori. Kuchiki-Taichou was to discretely investigate the Academy and student records in hopes of finding a connection to the case. Since he was the only Taichou without a Fuku-taichou, he was allowed to involve any division subordinate of his liking. Isshin, along with Matsumoto was to inspect those locations and places where the members were last seen. Since they were mostly taverns and other entertainment buildings, it wouldn't be surprising to see either of them there. In the meantime, Aizen and Hinamori would segregate the list into absent, confirmed dead and missing in action. From there they would solely focus on the absent and MIA agents.

By the time they had finished, it was lunch time. Aizen had politely invited the others to stay and feel at home, but all declined. Kuchiki-Taichou had Caln duties which made Isshin jump on his spot and excuse himself at lightning speed, claiming he was going to be late to his Clan business, leaving a mortified Matsumoto Rangiku behind. The kind Hinamori with her brown eyes and black hair pulled into a bun held in a tied cloth felt sorry for her friend. Rangiku was really unlucky in her humble opinion. To have a Taichou like Shiba-Taichou… Surely, it must be a nightmare. In her eyes, Shiba-Taichou was one of the worst Taichou, right after the monstrosity known as Zaraki-Taichou. At least, the Eleventh Division was known for being all brawn and no brains. At the same time, she felt extremely lucky and relieved she had a wonderful Taichou.

Unbeknownst to the two Fuku-taichou in his office, Aizen was fuming and having a huge internal debate. He had no issues being in charge of this particular task. In the long run, it would benefit him greatly. After all, there were few members he was missing and he had made sure that they were all properly disposed off in tragic accidents. What concerned him was the tiny detail Shiba-Taichou gave them. The Tenth already had some intel regarding the absent officers. That could prove to be a major hindrance. He did not need that guy to snoop around. There was also something at the back of his mind, telling him to be exquisitely careful around the silly Taichou.

 _'Ah, such ludicrous thoughts. It is irrelevant, really. By the end of the investigation, Shiba Isshin will be disposed off one way or the other. Heh, yes. There is more than one option I could use to assure he is out of the way.'_

Finally pleased with himself, the Taichou continued to drink his tea, completely ignoring the two Fuku-taichou who were happily blabbering away. He already had several ideas popping in his mind. Without altering the two girls of his intentions, he released his Shikai and left the room. None the wiser that the person in the Fifth Division office was an illusion and not the real Aizen Sosuke.

* * *

Morning at the Ishida's had been a chaotic affair. In less than ten minutes the quaint household had gone from calm, to hectic and back to silent. The Lady of the House had been mildly surprised when she found out that her son had gone to school without Masaki. Imagine her surprise, when the spirited ball of energy passed through the house worried she would be late. Oh well, at least the little lady animated the household and brought a never before seen brightness.

Once the chaos subsided, Else was left once again to her own depressing thoughts. No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, her solitude was not waning. Ever since the accident where attained her leg injury, she felt useless. She did have her Quincy powers, though they were reduced to half it not to a third of what they used to be. Along with the knowledge that her son was one of the last remaining Echt Quincies, it was more than enough to leave a bad taste in her mouth.

Then the Emperor of all people came out of nowhere along with Masaki. She had known about the girl long before meeting her. Essentially, both families had arranged a marriage between the two several years ago. It was not necessary to reinforce that claim, yet she had done it out of obligation and respect towards the late Lady Kurosaki. Basically, the prearrangement had been only decided among the two of them. Not even their husbands had known. The announcement was to be made once Masaki reached her sixteenth birthday.

Things had moved a little faster than anticipated. Nevertheless, she was sure there would be no issues. Even the staff appeared content to have the cheerful girl around. That alone should make her feel much better. And yet, it was not enough.

Ever since the pale youngster abruptly left, she felt something akin to upset. She was not overly desperate the lovely male left. Not at all, she had her doubts, but it was the manner in which he had disappeared. It would have been only cordial to await morning or at least give her a better explanation. Instead she felt left to tap in the shadows.

Perhaps if Soken spent some time at home, she wouldn't have this sensation of being left floundering. And therein lies the true reason behind her melancholy. Soken had been gone for a couple of days already. Their time spent together had slowly become none existent. As an add insult to injury, she was nearly sure as to why he left for Funftest Feld. He was probably training, becoming stronger, something she could never achieve again due to her old injury.

Not that she did not appreciate his efforts. On the contrary, she was proud he took his duties as the Patriarch seriously. She only felt aggravated because he did not confide in her anymore. Naturally, she would never stop him from doing as he pleased, but she would like to be informed every so often.

A light knocking sound brought her out of the darkest recessed of her mind. The person who interrupted her was none other than Katagiri. That was yet another surprise. Normally the young maid knew better than to disrupt her train of thoughts, especially right after breakfast. Yet, the anxious posture emanating from the servant, raised more than one alert.

"Katagiri, come in and close the door."

Obediently, the maid proceeded as instructed, patiently waiting for her mistress to give her permission to speak.

"Well, go ahead. What could possibly make you disturb me before getting to the study?"

Taking a nervous breath, the young one faltered. Within seconds, she found her resolve and spoke up.

"My deepest apologies, Lady Ishida. I was forbidden from mentioning this to you. However, I am duty-bound to inform you of a certain situation which took place last night."

A frown settled on Else's forehead. She did not like where this was going. She had felt the remarkable disturbance and the reiatsu of a Hollow and Shinigami fight. Though, she could not fathom why it was irrelevant.

"Go on."

Katagiri took another gulp of air before continuing.

"Milady, it's… It involves Lady Masaki."

Several minutes later, one did not need to be spiritually aware to know that Lady Ishida was beyond furious. An ominous silence befell the home, accompanied by the taste of anger and betrayal. Needless to say, none of the servants disrupted their mistress for the rest of the day. All were immersed in their duties and avoided any altercation with their Lady.

* * *

Despite having had an interesting and prolonged night, one Urahara Kisuke was the first to rise. His overworking mind would not let him rest. So many probabilities, so much work to do, so many mysteries and secrets to unveil. He knew from past experiences that he would wear himself to a shadow. Regardless of the expected chances he would drive himself to the ground, he knew there was nothing that would make him pause. He was thankful he got two hours and a half. There were times when he wouldn't even get a full sixty minutes nap.

He went through all scans, videos and sound accumulated not too long ago. The results were fascinating. Soren sure was a dangerous individual, but so were the two guests he was housing at that very moment. What made him even more alert to the two, was the fact he could not grasp even a sliver of reiatsu. Compared to Shirosaki-san, whose reiatsu felt like a Hollow, if you were lucky enough to sense it, the Emperors' reiatsu was completely off. There was absolutely nothing. It couldn't be felt, sensed or even read through any device he had, so far, come up with. The last resort would be to ask the two males, if they were willing to part with a speck or, hopefully, a chunk.

That on itself, was so out of character for the ex-Shinigami and founder of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. Never before had he faced something similar. Well, excluding the Hogyoku, which is on another level, really. He had been so sure his cloaks would yield some results. Alas, he would have to start from scratch.

The eccentric scientist was so immersed in his computer, data and work accumulated during the night that he neglected to notice a feline entering the room. Yoruichi took that opportunity to remind her long-time friend, that she hated to be ignored. She underlined her point by scratching Kisuke by his thighs. His startled and pained yelp was compensation enough for the time being.

"Ah, good morning Yoruichi-san. Did you sleep well? I hope your outburst has nothing to do with recent occurrences…?"

Since the sentence sounded more like a question, she was even more willing to forgive him.

"Nope. Just jogging your memory to pay attention to your surroundings. So… Did you manage to get what you wanted?"

Her response was a grimace accompanied by the lowering of a stripped hat.

"I see. Well then, you'll need all the help you can get. Oh, by the way, the reason we were off the radar was caused by the Quincy."

The gleam in the others eyes told her to continue and not to leave out any details.

"Ah, were to start? I suppose there is no need for me to tell you that the whole thing with Aizen's lab was a fiasco. There was nothing noteworthy, but you heard everything, so I can skip that one. The other part was much more interesting. That man Soren, there is much more to him than I originally thought. And even though he made it easy for us to know what his next few moves are, I'd say to be careful. He is not hiding just a face behind the mask he wears."

Urahara nodded in agreement. Based on what he managed to get, there was much more to this person than met the eyes. The transmitter Yoruichi took with her acted like a camera, therefore he made sure to thoroughly inspect the suspicious male. There were no doubts Soren was an anomaly. If what Shirosaki-san said was true, there was more than a single reason he was obscuring his face. The possibility for there to be a Hollow mask was not completely off the bat. The outfit itself concealed any proper lines and it had been a challenge to determine what laid underneath.

Based on his calculations, the male was robust and larger than Shirosaki-san, muscle-wise. Besides that, he did not manage to unravel anything else, at least for the moment. What made him panic, was Shirosaki-san reaction to certain parts of the conversation. There were no doubts, Shirosaki-san must have been more than a bodyguard to the Emperor's grandson. Maybe he was wrong, as there was no proof if the feelings were reciprocated. And yet, Urahara was willing to bet their relationship to have been much more intimate than simple charge and guard.

For a while, he feared Shirosaki-san would explode and attack. He was not sure who the victor would have been. But it would have brought down the entire mission. At least with the gathered intel, they could work on a counterattack. With any luck, they should be able to use the man to track the third Hogyoku. Not that he would want to use it. He already had quite the headache with one. Which reminded him…he was yet to find a permanent solution.

Yoruichi knew her partner for quite a while, therefore she knew to give him a bit of time to process everything. Once she felt irritated at waiting, she proceeded, not waiting a second longer.

"Anyway! At times I thought Shirosaki would do something really stupid. It looks like he can control himself much better than what either one of us expected. Though, that may have been thanks to the Quincy. Whatever he used to move us, was cold. He took us to some sort of underground passage and an unusual chamber. I am not sure what the commotion was all about. Although, he might have sensed the need to take Shirosaki away his own way."

Yoruichi used one of her paws to scrape around her head. She felt she made a small mistake.

"Oh! Hold on, I believe he too anticipated for Shirosaki to burst out in rage, or so he said. The kid took his time, then exhaled and was mostly normal. Just to let you know in advance, if you didn't get any images, I have absolutely no idea where we were. The room was equipped with all necessary supplies needed in case of an emergency and I am positive it was somewhere underground, since there were no windows. The kid tried to reason that Soren must have some kind of laboratory in an old dungeon. He tried to get some info from the Quincy King and it was then that things got out of hand."

She stopped to gather her memories and to make sure her companion was carefully listening. The frantic nodding, prompted her to resume.

"Kurosaki-san took some time but did confirm none of the prisons he was aware of could have been turned into a facility of such caliber. Kisuke, the way he spoke, it made even me shiver. It was a resolute and final answer which left no questions. Almost like saying that the sun is bright on a sunny day."

She made a small pause to emphasize her credibility.

"What came afterwards was rather disturbing. Shirosaki pressed for a different answer. Kisuke… I can't put into words… the guys' reiatsu was, to put it lightly, monstrous. What's worse, he seemed assaulted by something as if it was not his memories he was accessing… Now that on itself wouldn't be spectacular, if not for the fact that he started to shake and release more and more reiatsu. That, and the change in eye coloration you too witnessed last night. Whatever it was he remembered, it must have been horrible. Honestly, I had the feeling the building would collapse on us. Had it not been for Shirosaki and an idiotic move he pulled, I might have ended up roadkill… Kisuke… for a change, don't fool around… these guys are way out of our league."

With an exhale, the shopkeeper took his friends' words to heart. He was loath to admit defeat this soon into the game. On the other side, he knew Yoruichi never underestimated him nor was she exaggerating when giving him honest advice. Even so, he could not make a promise he may be very tempted to break.

Thus, he stayed silent. He would make his own opinion in due time. Which brought him back to his previous dilemma. Going once again through everything, he knew he would need a reiatsu sample to make his final decision. It pained him to admit, but the sooner the better. He internally concluded that the best and fastest path was a direct confrontation. The saying _'Nothing ventured, nothing gained'_ came to mind.

There was also the unspoken problem related to Kuchiki Byakuya. He knew Yoruichi would not want to speak loudly about it, nor would she make any requests to keep an eye out for her past disciple. Though, young Byakuya would never confess, he had ever been a student to the former Second Division Taichou. It was troublesome to know there were people out there ready to assassinate him without using the Onmitsukidō or other specialized and private killers. He was aware, Yoruichi kept all those attempts at bay. Yet, here was a never-before-seen situation where ex-Shinigami were hired for the hit. Who could have guessed that an ex-Fuku-Taichou from the Fourth would raise his or her blade with the intent to murder. It was surreal.

A knock on the door, brought him back to reality. Tessai came in without much prompting, in his hands was a brown tray filled with breakfast, coffee and tea. Just what he needed. The big man was a lifesaver and Urahara had to confess he was lucky to have such great companions.

"Tenchou, our guests are awake. They should be here shortly. Is there anything you need me to do?"

Shaking his head in the negative, Urahara placidly responded.

"Not at all. Thank you for the tray, you just came at the right time as usual. Keep the transmitter close at hand. There is still much to be discussed and we still need to keep appearances within the Living World with our shop business. But thank you none the less."

A nod of the head was his sole answer accompanied by the lowering of the tray along with its contents. Once Tessai left, he wolfed down his breakfast. Yoruichi, who also got her share, was already half way through, having started the moment the tray was placed on the round table. Not even six seconds after finishing, Tessai came back and collected the tray with empty cups and plates. His timing impeccable as always. One of these decades, Urahara swore to uncover what kind of trick the glasses wearing male used to achieve such perfect timing.

Urahara made himself comfortable and went back to his work on the portable computer. In the meantime, Yoruichi relaxed and took a nap on one of the many pillows spread around the table. Urahara had no idea how much time passed, but he was next interrupted by yet another knocking sound. This one was different from Tessai's, whose knocks were deep and powerful. Instead, the one he just heard was firm with a careful undertone. He was willing to bet it belonged to the Quincy King. Belatedly, he made a loud call of: "Come in."

Entering the room was none other than a drowsy Shirosaki dressed in baggy cerulean shorts with white stripes around the waist, a navy short sleeved t-shirt with a V-cut and black flip-flops. Oh boy! Was he ever happy he had not announced his bet out loud. Knowing Yoruichi, he would have remained out of sake and food for the next twenty years.

Following behind the Hybrid, was a less lethargic Kurosaki-san, though not by much, if one was to judge his sluggish moves. Though still visibly sleepy, the Emperor was dressed in raven-black suit trousers, a Lycra dark-garnet red shirt, complete with a silk black necktie which stood loose around the neck, ready to be fastened at a moments notice, and black lacquered leather dress shoes.

Urahara slightly envied the man for being able to dress to impress without seemingly trying. Must be in the blood… a gift he had been born with. Either that, or simply second nature for a man of that status. Surprisingly, again, the first one to give the morning greetings was Shirosaki, albeit a little grumpily. The courtesy was mimicked shortly thereafter by the older male.

By this point, there was no need for any encouragement and both sat as by automatic default opposite of Urahara and Yoruichi. With the difference that Shirosaki seemed ready to fall asleep the moment he sat cross-legged, while the other had a much more regal and awake look to him. As thought called by the Gods, Tessai came in the room with two more cups of steaming hot tea which were distributed to the newcomers. The whole ordeal took no longer than forty seconds and as soon as the task had been complete, Tessai left just as quietly as he had come. The silence was interrupted by Shirosaki, who raised his hands high in the air and stretched, making a few popping sounds.

"Ah, man! Wish we could sleep longer. Did we really have to get up this early considering we were awake practically the whole night?"

Kurosaki-san merely gave Shirosaki a hard stare. No words were exchanged, but the Hollow must have gotten his answer, judging by his grumblings about _'hunters'_ , _'irksome blabbering'_ and some other inaudible nonsense. Taking his chances, Urahara keenly observed the two and their banter. More so, he was attentively looking and searching for even a spark of reiatsu. Alas, it did not take him long to realize that even in such circumstances, the two were careful and diligently hiding their energy from prying eyes, namely his own. Though, that may have been contributed by another discovery the scientist made.

The Emperors eyes, which, not too long ago, had been a splendid sky-blue, were now back to reddish-brown.

 _'Fascinating! Though, I wonder, why the change? Even better, how did it happen? Could it be related to the memory-incident Yoruichi-san mentioned? The more time I spend with these two, the more I want to figure them out.'_

A sneer from the albino prevented his brain from making any further analysis.

"Yo, Getabōshi, any chances of pausing this ridiculous reiatsu scanning you're performing? It's too early to deal with your usual shenanigans. For your health, I strongly suggest you take a break."

The threat was accompanied by a nearly psychotic grin, as though the Hollow was hoping Urahara would give him the pleasure of shredding him to pieces.

Pulling his fan from inside his left sleeve, Urahara joyfully hid his face and cheerful demeanor. But he could do nothing to prevent the smile behind the fan nor the excitement at having been found out so easily. It was so refreshing to have a challenge of such proportions. Waving his fan in his casual manner, he responded.

"Ma, ma, Shirosaki-san, I thought we agreed you wouldn't call me like that again. Besides, I am such a curious person. Since you are so confident in your skills, certainly, you can forgive my _poor_ attempts."

The phrase 'poor' was accentuated with the closure of the paper fan. Shirosaki merely rolled his eyes in a lame attempt to show his mild irritation. Either than that, he let the subject slide, for now.

Next to the Hybrid, the Quincy King gleefully chuckled, surprising everyone in the room.

"Urahara-san, surely you jest!? Your efforts have been anything but meager. I commend you for your hard work as well as the guts it takes. Even so, might I propose a different approach?"

Ossan waited for an indication that the shop owner was listening. Once he got a nod in affirmation he ventured on.

"It may sound absurd to you, but the solution to your problem is rather simple. You need only ask. I see absolutely no issues in giving you a sample. It is the method that compels us not to give you the satisfaction of getting a proper read. It is even more true for Shirosaki here. There are things he has gone through which are first, none of your business and second, a trigger of sorts which motivates him to outright refuse anyone from getting his reiatsu without his personal consent."

Yoruichi, who stopped pretending to nap, gave Urahara a look which screamed _'I told you so!'_ in a cat-like fashion. At her glance, Urahara did at least feel slightly embarrassed. Before he could just do as advised, the Quincy pushed yet another bit of information through.

"However, I must stress the importance that anything pertaining to our reiatsu will not be made known to anyone but the five of us. That means you, myself, Yoruichi-san, Shirosaki and Tessai-san. Treat it as a contract of sorts, at the exception of us, no one else is to know. Not Hirako-san or any other party. Believe me, you do not want to find out what a breech in the contract could entice."

It was fairly obvious to everyone in the chamber that the researcher was more than a little intimidated. After all, the ever-present fan made a quick disappearance, while its owner raised his hat, for a change, and made direct contact with the Emperors eyes. Honesty and seriousness were radiating from those intelligent orbs.

"Hai. At the sole exceptions of us, I can assure you no one else will be even aware I took it, thus not a single soul will know what I do with it, lest of all of any results my experiments may yield."

Happy with the response, the Quincy King slightly relaxed his posture and reached for the cup of tea. He much preferred coffee, especially with the lack of rest. Still, he wouldn't say no the already offered cup. Anything to keep him going would suffice. He would find a decent place with a double-shot espresso somewhere in town. Worst case scenario, he would ask Haschwalth once they met in the Eldritch room. Fortunately, he managed to send him an early message, informing him both Shirosaki and himself would pay a visit in a short while to discuss certain events.

None moved until Shirosaki yawned and covered his mouth with his right hand. Thanks to the unexpected movement, the remaining occupants were compelled to relax. Taking his chances, Urahara pulled the big guns out on the table.

"Since you have been so generous, I cannot pass on the opportunity and inquire if you both would be willing to share some reiatsu for my records? Oh, and since we are mentioning reiatsu, I hear you have some fairly large supplies Kurosaki-sama. Even with last nights surge, my mantles were unable to get even a flicker necessary for a test."

Urahara prided himself to be a man capable of anticipating many things in advance. In spite of that, the confused expression marring the Emperors face, was not predicted.

 _'Why is he confused? Either he is an amazing actor, or I am a losing my touch. From everything I have gathered, the Quincy King is many things but a fake. Could it be that by trying to reach a foreign memory, his own got mixed-up?'_

Next to the Quincy, Shirosaki visibly bristled. Since Ossan's uncommon behavior had been provoked by his actions, he took it upon himself to cover for the other male. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. Once he did, he locked eyes with Urahara and spoke in a neutral tone.

"Just to clarify, last night Ossan took us to a safe place resistant to reiatsu. I nearly lost it there. Soren… Some of the things he said did not sit well with me. Scratch that! Unknowingly, he infuriated me. To prevent me from going on a rampage, Ossan took me to a familiar location. Mention area is well resistant against reiatsu. In other words, inside a specific room one cannot be felt from the outside. At the same time, the reiatsu inside cannot reach the outside. Not unless Ossan was to remove his _'magic'_. Since you are a nutcase science-freak, I am sure you will use our agreement to interrogate me to no end during my stay here. For now, I would like to ask you to let it be."

Although everything was said casually, those golden pools were glowing, particularly towards the end, promising a world of pain, should the shopkeeper press for more. Urahara was not pleased. Not at all. He already lost too many rounds and it wasn't even noon yet. On another note, the Hollow said to drop the subject at the present time, not that he wouldn't get an answer in the near future. In fact, he made it look like it would be only natural to make new questions in the long run. Things were never going to be boring with these two around. Which brought forth yet another brilliant idea.

"Noted. And while we're already mentioning the man responsible for your frustrations. I'd say his next moves are fairly easy to follow… But that would be a lie."

Having figured out not to speak about dungeons, Urahara decided to do the complete opposite.

"He mentioned something along the lines of getting fresh research material from the Academy. It so happens that a new year at the **Shin'ō*** Academy will start in a few days' time. The Shin'ō Academy, or most commonly referred as the Shinigami Academy, is, just as the name implies, a school for Shinigami. It was re-named _'Shin'ō'_ due to the new generation of students which, not only included future members of the Gotei 13, but also those who would turn to become new Kidō Corps and Onmitsukidō officers."

With the next intake of air, he already had his paper fan out, waving it animatedly and letting his upcoming words come as fast as possible.

"And so, it would be delightful if you two were to infiltrate, while posing as new students. IT would give us an advantage, as we could monitor all happenings inside and out."

Having made his idea known, he braced himself for a punch or laughter. Fortunately, it happened to be the latter, courtesy of Shirosaki-san, who doubled over in mirth. He did get skeptic glances from both Yoruichi-san and Kurosaki-san. Clearly, unimpressed with his sense of humor.

"Hahahahahahaha! Oh man, you're killing me, no literally, but you get the gits of it. Ha, this is so rich!"

It took several minutes for the unfortunate Shirosaki to calm down long enough to make his opinion well known.

"You want me, a Hybrid-part-Hollow and Ossan, a Quincy to go a Shinigami school?! Hell, I can't remember the last time I had this much fun. Have you forgotten just who Ossan really is? Good luck with that one."

Urahara had a childish pout on his face, pretending to be hurt by such words. Yoruichi, continued to stare her friend as if he lost a few screws somewhere along the road. The Emperor, on the other side, after the initial shock, had a contemplative and curious face.

From the little he knew about Urahara, he was wondering if the man could make something so ridiculous, a reality. With his stern gaze, he encouraged the other to give them all a clear picture of what he had in mind. The intellectual brain took notice of the Quincy's untold request and silently obliged.

"Ma. It's not like I would send you as you are. I can only imagine the uproar the Sōtaichō would make at the mere sight of Kurosaki-sama. No, my idea is a little more complex."

This time all in the room were giving him the stinky eye, demanding an explanation.

"Ah, you see, once I get your reiatsu samples I'll be able to create a special Gigai that will be able to harbor you while you're in Soul Society and Seireitei in general. Please note, I am bound to devise an unprecedented Gigai. One which will already have its form as opposed to the generic Gigai which adapts to the soul it harbors. Oh, let us not forget, I have to make them in such a fashion that they would feel as regular souls. Dear me, I may end up with my hands full."

Yoruichi chuckled and decided to resume her nap. Leave it to Kisuke to think of the most absurd ideas and make them happen. That was a trait which will never cease to amaze. Gauging the astonishment in the Hollow's eyes and the contented smile on the Emperor, she had no doubts the two would agree.

"Well, color me surprised. You make it sound like it will take you a while and at the same time like it will be all done in a jiffy. Not that I have anything against getting to know Shinigami skills. It can only expand my already vast firing arsenal. However, how do you plan on getting us signed-up? Isn't there an entrance fee or something alike? Whether you like it or not, we do not have any currency from Soul Society. Sure, we can pay you in yen and you can probably exchange it. But still, I'd figure any entries must be already long closed if the year is about to start."

Shirosaki's incredulity and acceptance caused Urahara to gloat on the inside. He had no desire to tempt fate with the volatile Hybrid with delaying the inevitable. Therefore, re-taking his paper fan from within his robes, he used the ill-fated object to point in Shirosaki's direction.

"You are absolutely correct young Shirosaki-san. Indeed, most pupils have already been registered. That is, all the nobles and Rukongai citizens from the first fifty districts."

He let his words sink, before continuing.

"Anyway, since there are thirty more districts which are rather distant compared to those up to the fiftieth, there is one final entrance exam just prior to the inaugural ceremony. Normally, candidates from districts eighty to fifty are few and far between. Despite that, they are capable and strong combatants. Because of their battle proves, they are given this singular opportunity to show themselves at the Academy just three days prior to the ceremony. This test will take place in two days from today. Along with Yoruichi-san, I am more than confident we can assure you pass the written assessment."

The last remark earned him a deep gash on the left hip, as the cat was startled awake from her doze.

"Just when did you plan to include me into this crazy mess?! I have better things to do than play teacher!"

Urahara sheepishly massaged the bleeding area, making a mental note to tweak his Gigai in such a fashion that it will be resistant against claws.

"But Yoruichi-san, you are the best expert. I promise, you will benefit greatly from this minor arrangement. Ultimately, it will make it easier to keep an eye out for a certain, now grown-up, raven-head little tyke."

The cat crossed her paws and lowered her head gently on said limbs, mumbling something about _'sly and wily perverted old fools'_.

Shirosaki ignored the playful banter in favor of summing the whole situation in his head. Once everything was processed accordingly, he gave his two cents into the mix.

"So, you're saying you can make this Gigai thingy in two days, teach us enough to pass as bloodthirsty souls with a quick hand, eager to get out from the slums of Rukongai. Nice. I both hate and love the concept. There is also the little notion of me already possessing a Zanpakuto, so you'll have to work around that. There is no way in heaven or hell, I'm replacing my sword with anything else. Meh… if you can get these things sorted out, why not? It's not like we've got anything to lose. If Ossan's in, I'm game."

Shirosaki looked intently at his partner. So far, the other had been way too quiet for his liking. Albeit, it was nothing out of the ordinary. But that was on regular days. Ever since they returned, not an hour passed without some sort of excitement, be it positive or negative. Soon, mentioned man announced his opinion.

"I do agree. There are far too many ongoing activities in Soul Society and Seireitei. It would be pointless to pass on such a prospect to have direct intel from within the organization. Taking into account there are two major manipulators experimenting on unsuspecting souls, namely our troublesome Soren and your Aizen, we could benefit greatly from infiltrating. While at it, we may encounter the hiding location of the Haldister fragment. Nonetheless, there are certain quirks which require Shirosaki's and mine attention. I also refuse to leave my last family member unprotected, consequences be damned."

The finality in those words was absolute. Urahara felt a tiny speck of fear crawl up his spine at the tone, finally fully grasping what Yoruichi-san meant when she said she shivered. Not to appear out of it, he resumed in a more serious manner.

"Of course, I will make all the preparations as soon as I get your reiatsu samples. For today, I will personally and discretely tag miss Masaki-san until she safely reaches her home. If there is anything else I can do to facilitate this transition, let me know. The transmitters you currently have, as proven, will work even in Soul Society. Thus, we will not require new ones. Yoruichi-san will teach you everything there is to know regarding the current set-up in Soul Society. Tessai-san will monitor the Living World and together with myself, we will protect Karakura and miss Masaki-san in tandem as to avoid raising suspicions upon ourselves. In return, I do ask for a favor."

Urahara stopped until both the Quincy and Hybrid looked attentively at him.

"As you have overheard, one of Soren's tasks is to assist two Shinigami in assassinating Kuchiki Byakuya. The man in question is the Taichou of the Sixth Division and Head of the Noble Kuchiki Clan, one of the Great Noble Houses. In short, a very important individual as such, it is not unusual for him to be targeted. The only anomaly this time around revolves around the people hired to perform the deed. If at all possible, I ask if you can keep an extra set of eyes and prevent any shots at his life. Ideally, it would be great if we could find out who made the hit on the Taichou. But I am aware it is nearly an impossible feat. Nevertheless, I would be eternally grateful for your assistance in keeping him out of harms ways."

His retort was a sharp nod from the stoic man and a snicker from the albino.

"I say anything that can put a blunder to Soren's credibility, plots and time is more than worth our efforts. By the way, Urahara-san, you probably have it already figured out, but how do you expect us to sneak around? No offence to your brain-work, but if we are to be meek students, won't our movements be, you know, kind of restricted? I don't presume pupils will have much freedom outside of learning hours. Surely, there must be a time-frame when all are accounted for, not to mention a _'lights out'_ deadline and the likes."

Over and over again, Urahara was getting surprised at the bright mind the Hollow Hybrid possessed. The question had been anticipated, but he did not foresee Shirosaki's trust in his skills.

Taking his infamous fan out, Urahara flapped it dynamically.

"Of course! Everything is calculated and taken into consideration. I will lend you the lovely coats you utilized not too long ago. Naturally, you will only use them when you need to slip around undetected. To avoid any unexpected complications, I will upgrade them to respond only to your respective reiatsu. The rest of the world will see them as measly fancy mantles."

"Seeing as you have everything under control, go ahead and take the sample you require. We will allow you to collect it now. From our side, Shirosaki and I have to settle a few things. We do need to attend an important reunion with Haschwalth in a couple of minutes. Since you are going to be extremely busy, I will refrain from extending an invitation this time. Fear not, I will give Haschwalth your regards. I am sure you understand, it is my obligation and duty to assure he is up to date and mindful of possible threats within out ranks. Soren is playing a dangerous game and I have no intention to let him be the winner."

Ossan's tone left no room for debate and was about to stand up from his spot, had he not looked at Shirosaki, who refused to move.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Ossan, have you forgotten? I called dibs on Soren ages ago. You can all fool around as much as you want, but Soren is mine. Don't worry, I am not so cruel as to utterly obliterate him before you have a go at him as well. How about this? I get first shots, then he will be yours for the second. We can annihilate him together in the third and final round. This time we'll make sure he doesn't get to return. Deal?"

Black on gold met reddish-brown in a stare-down contest neither would win or lose. The two gazes had naught but resolve and a silent agreement. Satisfied, Shirosaki turned his head towards Urahara and Yoruichi, carrying on.

"As much fun as it is to stick around, we should really get going. Haschwalth is not known to be lenient. You see, he won't forgive me if I make Ossan late and I have no desire to become a moving target. It should take us the whole day to get things done on our end, so you can expect us either later tonight or, at the latest, tomorrow. Kitty, we'll see you for classes in the morning, make sure you prepare lots of info for us to go through."

Yoruichi, who never ended her pretended nap, raised her head sternly at her future students.

"Che. You should reconsider. Do you really think you can learn **_everything_** there is to know about Soul Society, Seireitei and the Shinigami Academy in only one day?! Don't make me laugh. Even the most accomplished genius would need a week."

Yoruichi made sure to accentuate the word _'everything'_ as if it was of vital importance. For whichever reason, instead of being intimidated, Shirosaki grinned.

"Aw. Don't be silly, kitty-cat. True, if had to know **_everything_** , as you so kindly stressed, we could spend a whole decade or two and still be unable to say we know it all. Here's the thing… we need to know enough to 'pass'. If we are going to pretend to be brutes from the vilest dump in the whole Soul Society, we may as well act as such. Wouldn't you agree?"

Yoruichi silently laughed but was pleased to see they would be easy students. Especially, since they caught on the smallest of details very quickly. On that note, she started formulating plans on how to give them the needed data without having to be present. She wanted to check on Byakuya. He was, is and will probably remain to be, the only male student she willingly took under her wings.

Soi-Fon, was a completely different story. Which reminded her, she would have to pay her a visit. Not like she could make her presence known, she would end up challenged or in bruises for leaving on short notice. That did not mean, she did not watch over her little ones whenever she had spare time.

Raising from their seats, Ossan and Shirosaki exchanged pleasantries and took off, leaving a scheming shopkeeper and a lazy cat behind. As soon as the two's energy disappeared from Karakura, Urahara jumped from his pillow and hurriedly reached for the cushions Shirosaki-san and Kurosaki-sama had occupied. He was overjoyed at the amount of reiatsu the two left behind. There was much more than he had expected.

 _'Seems like they are the generous types. Ah! What fun! The endless possibilities! Hm… Shirosaki-san's reiatsu is mesmerizing. Just as I thought. But what is this I sense from Kurosaki-sama? Never have I felt something similar. If this is a fraction of his true strength, I dread to calculate just how powerful the unsealed Emperor could be… Bah, no time like the present and I have my hands full… I'll ask Tessai-san to prepare a quiz to simulate the entrance exam to the Academy as a precaution. Knowing Yoruichi-san, she'll find a way out of our arrangement without actually breaking it… Shoot! I also gave my word to watch over the little lady… So much to do, so little time.'_

Exhaling loudly, Urahara resumed his work on the computer. With the gifted reiatsu, he should be able to create the two Gigai quickly enough. Modifying the cloaks will be child's play. The true challenge lies in making two believable alias and testing on the reiatsu collected from the, now destroyed, Hollow.

He feared he may end up in even more work if the Tenth Division Taichou decided to return for a stroll. It could be troublesome. Should the Shiba branch Head approach Masaki-san at the Quincy's house, he could very well find himself in a nasty mess. Thanks to the bug Yoruichi-san left at the last Captain's meeting, he knew the Tenth Taichou did not disclose any data related to the Quincy and their involvement. He prayed it would remain so.

Before long, he was immersed in his own little world, disregarding anything and everything around him in favor of getting as much as possible done in one go. He never felt not saw when Yoruichi-san stretched and left the room. He might have even missed Tessai-san bringing in lunch and tea, had it not been for the other's idea of startling him senseless, by loudly dropping the tray on the table.

"Ah! Tessai-san. Goodness gracious. I really need to work on an alarm whenever you or Yoruichi-san walks around. Is it already lunch time?"

He looked at his assistant in the eyes through the thickly framed glasses. Hidden eyes promised to encase him in a barrier for a month or longer, if he was to ask unnecessary questions again or judge the quality of the prepared meal. That was not good for more than one reason. Number one: for a change, he really had tons of work to complete. Two: Tessai-san tried a new ingredient.

That on itself, wouldn't be such a horrible thing to do. The problem lied in Tessai-san using expired or inedible ingredients during those trials. Consequently, Urahara became his regular reluctant guinea pig. On the bright side, Urahara self-taught himself many a remarkable and useful Kaido. They were on a completely new level, able to assist in digestion, toxin removal and acted as pain relief. He looked at the tray exasperatedly.

 _'Looks like it is going to be one of those never-ending-days. No point in beating around the bush. May as well just end both of our misery and eat away. At the very least, I may find an excuse to skip dinner.'_

Taking the nearest plate, Urahara went along and pretended to eat eagerly, appeasing his larger partner. Content at seeing his efforts being appreciated, Tessai stood to leave.

"Ah, before you go Tessai-san… I need your aid in several matters."

Let us say, both were well aware it was going to be an extremely long day at the Urahara Shoten.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

By Jove! 29 pages!

Dear me, I solemnly swear, never to write a chapter this long again. It sure takes a lot out of me. But I promise to keep them coming with sufficient length, 15-18 Word pages in Times New Roman size 12 (I need to see the heck I'm writing, if you know what I mean xD)

I apologize in advance if there are spelling mistake – taking the length into account, I am sure there will be more than one. I'll do my best to go through this and my previous chapters sometime in the future and try to find and fix most errors x3

 ***Shinōreijutsuin / Shin'ō Academy / Spiritual Arts Academy** * = as the name implies, it is the Academy nobles and Rukongai citizens with high spiritual energy attend to become Shinigami. Normally it takes six years to complete the course. Although, it is well known that talented 'youth' tends to finish much in advance. One of those being Ichimaru Gin, who made it in one year! Not sure if there was any other Shinigami who broke Gin's record. Though, it is also known that there are those who fail the entry exam and have to wait for the next year. Mostly, such individuals come from the Rukongai. Not surprising, since the poor saps have no school or the possibility to study and prepare in advance.

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or errors, please let me know. I am both the writer and spellcheck person – not an easy job! We tend to read what we meant to write and we are unable to see that we made a fatal error. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Until next time, have an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	29. Chapter 29

_A very good day everyone :)_

 _Here comes Chapter XXIX_

 _Same good disclaimer, reminder and warnings:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Our previous chapter really took its toll on me. But, like I said, I'll keep them coming in nice sizes and, unless I screw something up, I won't be posting any humongous chapters like that one (+16 thousand words in one go is really a lot). Although, I may be persuaded to do them in the future. If you liked them that long, I will aspire to continue making such big chapters. In case that you feel more at ease with the slightly shorter, I'll try to make +10 thousand to +12 thousand words my new average :D

Ok, less inner monologue and more reading – enjoy x3

Thank you all for the continuous support ^.^

* * *

 _Chapter XXIX_

* * *

A sunny day filled the air in Karakura town. Many a resident were delighted at the prospect of working with the Sun's rays warming their backs. Especially, after the quick drizzle from the previous night. Sudden weather changes were not an anomaly, particularly during the time of the year between two seasons. But those were the thoughts of adults.

Quite differently from their adult counterparts, most children, notably those stuck in educational institution of various age groups, felt rather downcast at losing the chance to play outside. Although, they were all cheerful at having a beautiful and radiant day, some were saddened at the prospect of having to sit down in classes and study. Such a day was made for different activities and outings.

Among those learning centers, were also the three high schools in Karakura town, where young teens were receiving lessons in: Arts, Biology, Crafts, Drama, Health, History, Home Economics, Geography, Geometry, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies and many more subjects. Accompanied by a firm regimen and plenty of homework, these institutions were the stepping stones in which most would either find their future calls or generic direction as to what they might be interested and where to go from there on forward.

As it is the case in life, there were those who were less interested in studies and more centered on other activities. Nevertheless, the majority of pupils performed their duties for one reason or the other. Whether it be for a plausible career path, parental influence or the desire to know more. Everyone had their aim or motive to attend.

Nonetheless, it was not uncommon for a pleasant day to positively influence the atmosphere in classrooms. Though, the enjoyable feel, mixed with long lectures resulted in less students paying attention to their instructors than one would appreciate in such facilities. Dozing off, admiring the world outside class or simply doodling in notebooks was a very common occurrence.

In one such high school, looking out the window, sat Kurosaki Masaki. Being a new girl in school, it was surprising to see she relatively easily made acquaintances and friends. Within the first day, she became very close to a number of classmates. Her vivacious and kind personality, attracted people. Everyone wanted to be a part, or as close as possible, to the radiance she emitted.

Still, the little one was at the moment lost to the world around her. She was mildly upset at her cousin for not waking her up, when he saw she was not ready for school. At the same time, she figured it had been her own fault for arguing with Ryuu-chan in the first place. Oh, and the fact she openly disobeyed Quincy tradition, was probably grating her cousin's nerves.

Remembering their disagreement brought forth the main reason she was absentmindedly taking notes of the ongoing lecture. The Shinigami. For as long as she remembered, she had been warned never to cross a Shinigami's path, no matter the reason.

In her opinion, it was sad to see two races, who shared a similar goal, fight among themselves. As far as she was concerned, both Quincies and Shinigami could protect the living from Hollows. Masaki's father gave her a lengthy speech in Quincy and Shinigami abilities, what made them different from each other and the history they shared.

The whole past was written in blood. Though, she was unaware to be one of the rare individuals with the whole story. Opposite to the Shinigami, who were only taught the most recent skirmish, that which claims that about two hundred years ago Shinigami were forced to exterminate their entire race in order to protect the balance of the Worlds.

Even so, according to the data her family had gathered, that had been false, incorrect and untrue. Yes, some of the Quincy families united and protected each other, but never went hunting for Hollows. Thus, there was no way they could have eliminated a sufficient number of Hollows to threaten the balance.

Members of her family had recorded several Shinigami attempts at their lives. There had been something wrong with those Shinigami, as their reiatsu signatures were dissimilar from other, regular Shinigami. These were much stronger and had a dark taint to them. Her ancestors did not have much success in unveiling the source to the mysterious stain in the Shinigami reiatsu.

The number of assassination attempts steadily increased. More and more Quincy families united in hopes of deterring or even stopping the futile tries. Until the moment when all hell broke loose. Angered by the unsuccessful results, the Shinigami started to raise their reiatsu to the point in which hordes of Hollows attacked the World of the Living.

Enraged by the vile and dishonest tactics, a new war began. Even more blood was spilled and the Quincy paid the highest price. Only at that point the Quincy did fight back and Hollow hunts became a norm of life. The Shinigami realized that the balance of the Worlds was at stake and negotiations started. However, those negotiations were naught but a set-up in which several Quincy families perished. Having hurt their pride, the Quincy refused to talk about treaty and used their powers instead.

The end result was a near annihilation of nearly the whole legacy. The few survivors made themselves disappear and connections were lost. Call it a fool's pride, but the Kurosaki House Head, decided to conceal the second war from history. As per his last words:

 _"I saw too many youngsters die in a war which could have been avoided had we, the Quincy, not ignored the Shinigami. We should have fought from the very beginning, instead of waiting for the worst to occur. By the time we acted, it was our words against theirs. Therefore, this particular segment will burn with me. I want the remaining Quincy to keep this bitterness in their veins for only then, will they act on the spot. It may be wrong of me to wish harm to any being, but in light of such tragedy, only hatred can keep us either away from any Shinigami or to respond the way we should… to protect our kin."_

Masaki thought the elder had been really stupid. Had the Quincy made contact with high-ranking Shinigami maybe the whole thing could have been avoided. Those who were not doing their jobs properly and were trying to kill of her kind were the responsible ones. It never meant everyone was the same.

That particular incident was destroyed. But the Kurosaki's had kept the verbal knowledge and passed it down from generation to generation. Intimidated by her father's harsh words and his anti-Shinigami monologues, she had refrained from making any personal comments to the matter.

That did not mean she kept it a secret from her mother. The wise woman felt proud her child could think for herself and outside the metaphorical box. She never judged her daughter and would always encourage to do what she felt was right.

 _"Masaki-chan, a war is a horrible affair. One in which there are no victors, just despair and lost lives. Even so, you will learn that human history too is filled with combat. It is, unfortunately, human nature. When they are unable to attain something they strongly desire, they fight for it. It is only different by what it is the end goal. You never know, we ourselves could find ourselves in such a situation. It may be to protect our home, our land, our property, other people, our opinion, legacy or religion. The moment that two parties find each in between of something they want, unless they can negotiate, a conflict will be inevitable. And the very moment that reason was overpowered by geed and the wish to clash, war ensures. In that instant, both sides are guilty. Yes, the victor will decide how history should be written. But, don't forget the many sacrificed on the way, the unwilling participants or the unlucky casualties and crowd lost in the crossfire."_

Those words were ingrate into Masaki's memory, though she never fully understood their meaning. When voicing her confusion, the Lady of the House gave her a small smile.

 _"Your predecessor felt it was a necessity to conceal parts of our old life. He had been one of those who strongly suggested to confront the Shinigami from the very beginning by getting in touch with their higher ups. In his view, subordinates may have been doing wrong things while unsupervised. It was rather far-fetched in the eyes of other Quincies, but an odd all in the same. When the war started, he was the first to appeal for negotiations. He survived the first meeting where all Quincy attendants were murdered. We cannot critic his decision to let us live with a strong repulsion towards Shinigami. We can only hope that his decision will not bring forth more sadness. So far, dare I say, it looks as though his verdict allowed us to live in relative peace. By avoiding the Shinigami, we are evading possible new conflicts. For that reason alone, we, the Kurosaki, have kept this a secret. And we will continue to do so. That is, until the Emperor returns from his slumber. As King, it will be his responsibility. That is a big burden to hold on just a set of shoulders, wouldn't you agree?"_

Back then, Masaki had been utterly lost. She never figured out what her mother tried to tell her, nor what was her opinion on the whole ordeal. She had been told that not everyone is the same and that was the end of it.

Now, she was under the strong impression that her mother had been a non-judgmental and very open-minded person for one born and raised in the Quincy ways. Maybe she too inherited that particular trait. And perchance that was the reason she couldn't stop thinking about the nice Shinigami Taichou.

Once again, her mind was filled with images of the strong man. He had been fighting the Hollow for a long time. Even so, he had tried to tell her to escape. He wished her no harm. The way he reacted when she said she was a Quincy, made her believe he was not aware of her heritage.

 _'Hehe. It must have been weird for him to see my bow and arrows during the short time I battled. He was curious and so very kind. He even protected me from the big explosion. Had he not done that, I would have died. Even after finding out I was a Quincy, he didn't become angry nor mad. There were no regrets in his eyes, just a startled realization. He looks even better when he smiles.'_

Masaki puffed out quietly. Looking at her notebook, she tried to concentrate on the subject at hand. But for the love of everything marvelous, she couldn't even recall which calls she was attending.

If Shinigami changed and were much more like the one she met yesterday, it could be a new and blessed discovery. It would be so nice to be able to assist when needed. She would much prefer the chance at giving a helping hand, rather than hide in the shadows and see anyone getting hurt.

Looking out, she found the fluffy clouds to be very interesting.

 _'I wonder if he was able to return to Soul Society. He had been badly injured. Even with my help, he wasn't that much better… I hope he won't be scolded. With any luck, no one will be angry with him… Maybe I should have asked his name…'_

Any other questions, thoughts and worries were interrupted by the ringing of the school bell.

 _'I hope I do get to see him again. If that happens, the first thing I will ask of him is his name.'_

With her mind set and thrilled by her decision, Masaki prepared for the next class, only to be told by her friends it was lunch break. Any doubts and uncertainties regarding Quincy and Shinigami were promptly tossed out the window in exchange for some fun time with her classmates.

* * *

Having left the Urahara Shoten a way back, Shirosaki and Ossan made their way through an inhabited zone. Shirosaki would then concentrate on opening a Garganta to Wandenreich. If everything went according to plan, they would end up in the Eldritch room. It would be a first for the Hollow to attempt something on such a huge scale.

From what little Ossan knew about the Garganta, it was an instinctual gate opening every Hollow knew how to perform. Shirosaki did explain that a Hollow would have to know approximately where they wanted to go to. Most importantly, they would require to have some sort of connection to the place they wanted to visit.

Shirosaki proved to be a very good teacher and gave the Quincy an extensive lecture.

By automatic default, plus souls who turned Hollows had an urge to devour souls. In doing so, they become the main target of Shinigami. The primal instinct to hide somewhere safe, leads them to Hueco Mundo. Once there it was much more difficult from Hollows to return to the World of the Living.

That revelation had greatly surprised the Quincy. Shirosaki had gone on to enlighten Ossan on how those Hollows who entered Hueco Mundo, rarely made it back to the Living World on their own volition. Most times, they would find a way if there was a strong presence or a powerful human with high reiatsu. Only then would a Hollow open a gate to hunt the one emitting the energy.

There was also the case with intelligent Hollows. They were on a new level and a story of their own. If the Hollow was smart, it meant that as humans they had a higher reiatsu than normal. It didn't mean that it was strong enough to allow them to see spirits, but above average nonetheless.

Those were the ones causing problems. They first go after their relatives or souls they had a bond with in their previous life. From there, they evolve and become even brighter to the point where they start chasing after Shinigami. Their goal, to raise above the level of a common Hollow. After a while, it is not just hunger for a missing heart that pushes them to consume souls. Rather a desire to be stronger, more powerful. It could be considered as uncontrolled greed.

More often than not, such Hollows eventually meet their end at the hands of Shinigami. Trying to bite more than what they can chew, brings them to their ultimate death. Some were smart enough to limit themselves and could avoid capture for decades. None, however, lived longer than a century.

In the event that they made it to evolve further, their need to go to the Living World is drastically reduced. Why go after a single prey, when one could fight against other Hollows who already ate their fair share of souls? For this reason, powerful Hollows congregated in certain locations through Hueco Mundo. A battle to the death full of gore was the next path to take. Those who survived, became the first among Menos Grande. In other words, they were the Menos who had their individuality and would aspire to evolve even more to the level of Adjucha.

Rare were the cases when a bloodbath of such caliber yielded only one Menos. The accumulated corpses of the defeated, merge into one, giving birth to several Menos Grande. They normally have no specific goal and mingle with others of their kind. Basically, they are easy to persuade to work for more powerful beings, becoming fodder or foot soldiers.

Adjucha Hollows would either try to conquer other Adjucha class Hollows or would assemble an army of Menos. In either case, Menos were a good source of energy and it wasn't infrequent for an Adjucha to leave them in the Menos forest to wait until he would need them for food or for fun.

Shirosaki himself believed all of that to be useless. Above the Menos forest, in the now deserts of Hueco Mundo there was enough Reishi to sustain most Hollows. It was just fear of transgression that pushed Adjucha Hollows to fight and devour. Again, idiotic as not all Adjucha reached the Vasto Lorde level. Not to mention that Vasto Lorde rarely ate other Hollows. They would only eat when they used a large portion of power and needed to replenish themselves. Either that, or they were severely injured. With enough 'food' they could use their regeneration and continue as though nothing changed.

The regression was a fake tale with unknown origins. It was something which happened shortly after the usurpation of the First King, Shirosaki's father, and the rise of the Second King Barragan. Shirosaki had heard from his father about an Adjucha who reverted into a Menos Grande. As per his father, it had been a conscious decision. The Adjucha was in the process of ascending to the level of Vasto Lorde. For some reason, memories from his life as a human resurfaced. Having had a difficult past, he opted to starve and self-injure himself to the point of no return. He did fall and become a Menos with no remembrance of either his human or Hollow life.

Ossan had been more than honored Shirosaki had deemed him trustworthy enough to share so much intel on the inner workings of Hollows. A knowledge which greatly assisted them several centuries ago when they made the decision to find the pieces of the Haldister. In all of the time they shared, not once did Shirosaki request to go after Barragan. When they did go to Hueco Mundo, Shirosaki flatly refused to challenge Barragan. His reasoning being that he would have to take the title and throne as the Hollows King, which he did not desire. Another motivation to keep far away, was the honest admission that he was unsure he would manage to defeat the other.

Their time in Hueco Mundo had been very unusual. There had been several close encounters with Barragan and his cronies. It was thanks to Shirosaki and his many skill-sets which allowed them to move unhindered. They had been extremely fortunate Barragan did not end up in the possession of even one fragment. The Hollow's ability was unlike anything Ossan had seen before. Just the thought of what the gem could have caused in the hands of such a deranged soul, was enough to send chills down both their spines.

Having been pulled out from his musing, Ossan realized they were in an old district. There were several destroyed buildings and many more desolate and empty wooden constructions. Ossan wondered just how far away from the shop they were. Another thing which piqued his interest, was the speed in which they reached this zone. Could it be they were using high-speed moves without him even being aware of using Hirenkyaku? Not that it didn't happen on occasions. But, it was always a surprise.

Looking at Shirosaki, he could tell just how difficult the task was. Shirosaki did inform him, his Garganta was special. Not only did he have to make it untraceable at the starting point, but at the end as well. Another peculiarity to Shirosaki's Garganta was the fact that he could re-visit any location, place or space he had been at one point in his life by focusing on microscopic reiatsu residues he left behind. The remains couldn't be felt, sensed or used by any other person regardless of their lineage, save for Shirosaki himself.

At times, such as the present, the Quincy King wondered just how long Shirosaki had been practicing. How many timed did Ichigo help the other upgrade his skills? What was Ichigo thinking when he assisted Shirosaki achieve higher levels and powers? Based on his knowledge, the two were very well balanced and on par.

During their last friendly clash, both were equally matched and the fight ended in a draw. It had been a spectacular display of swordsmanship, skills, experience and knowledge. He himself had overseen the battle, which lasted from sunrise to midnight. And so, he was aware Ichigo did not go all out. Come to think of it, there had been something weird with Ichigo's movements. Simultaneously, he had the inkling that Shirosaki had known what was going on with his grandson. Not for the first time, he questioned if that, too, had been Soren's doing.

An exhale brought him out of his overwhelmed mind. In front of Shirosaki was the gaping maw of a Garganta. Seems like the other made it happen after all. The notion was confirmed as soon as Shirosaki turned to face him, smirk firmly plastered on his features.

"Not going to lie Ossan, it wasn't easy. But, it wasn't impossible either. If you don't mind, I'll let you do all the talking. If I start, I'll just get pissed and we'll never finish. Meh, since the room adapts to our needs, I hope you don't mind if I use and abuse that fact to get some extra sleep, although, food would also be appreciated."

The elder shook his head in exasperation. Leave it to Shirosaki to turn a serious matter into an amusing one within the blink of an eye. Acting in kind, Ossan figured it would be a nice change of pace to retort.

"Of course, you will leave the _'boring'_ part to me. Although, I confess, I too am looking forward to a strong cup of coffee. Some nutrition won't do me any harm. Nevertheless, I am very familiar with Haschwalth, undoubtedly, he must have already prepared all necessary for our arrival."

Shirosaki was both disappointed and happy with the news. The dissatisfaction was caused by lack of appreciation for his hard work in getting the Garganta exactly inside the funky chamber. That was overshadowed by the joy of being allowed the extra sleep. Thanks to the room's properties, he'll be able to rest unperturbed by their talking. He'd have to make sure to get a similar place, should _his King_ be reborn. He was so engrossed in imagining many scenarios where he could make use of such a space, that he completely overlooked that Ossan had made an attempt at joking. It wasn't every day the Quincy referred to anything as boring, least of all when talking about a meeting.

Ossan could tell the other was lost in translation. For the sake of his sanity, he refused to consider what was going on inside that pale head belonging to Shirosaki. With another shake of the head, he moved forward. Grabbing Shirosaki by his shoulder, he entered the Garganta without worries, leading a now fuming albino along for the ride.

* * *

Shiba-Taichou sighed for what must have been the tenth time in less than nine minutes. He couldn't help it. Not with the way the mission had been distributed, nor with the choice of partners he was to work with.

Lying down on two comfortable pillows encased in a ruby case, adorned with silver-white patterns on the porch outside his office, he crossed his arms around his middle and he went through the events which took place mere hours ago.

True, he enjoyed immensely in poking fun at the Taichou of the Sixth. It was his belief, the young Kuchiki should smile more often. The fact that his pranks ended up angering the Noble instead of making him laugh, was an entirely different matter. It wasn't healthy for one to bottle up any and all emotions. If he managed to get under the others skin, just enough to be on the receiving end of the infamous Kuchiki glare, which, he was sure, could kill a man on sight, he was content. At least it was better than complete indifference.

Not that the man had an easy life. Since the day of his birth, little Byakuya was bread to become the Head of the Kuchiki Clan. Of all the possible Clans to be born into, that must have been the strictest when it comes to rules and regulations. He remembered seeing a little Byakuya training day and night. And though he never had a mother figure, he grew to be a fine man.

The poor soul. He lost his mother on the very day he was born. Never to feel what a mother's caress or embrace felt like. Isshin shivered at the mere thought. And if that was not devastating enough, he lost his father and wife around the same time, give or take a decade or so. Blowing out another breath, Isshin really felt for the Taichou. After all, it takes one to know another. He had been lucky though to be born and raised in the Shiba Clan. And no matter how many times he complained or wailed at the duties that came with the title, he was secretly overjoyed at having such a family.

The Shiba's were, certainly, an acquired taste. Not everyone was exuberant and energetic to the point of driving people like the Sōtaichō up a wall. There was nothing like a family reunion where you end up on the floor with bruises before you even said a proper 'Hello'. Another trait solely associated with the Shiba's, is their family ties. Though Isshin had lost both parents at a very early age, he had never felt lonely nor abandoned.

Indeed, he had wondered what kind of people his parents had been or could have been. On the other side, the vast household servants and relatives made it so that he always had someone to talk to, regardless of the subject. Based on photos he found around the manor, he often tried to imagine his mother reigning over his father. For whichever reason, he couldn't picture that scenario, no matter how many times he witnessed other Shiba heiresses have the final say.

He had made an oath to never marry into the family or any close relatives. The Shiba Ladies were scary. Not that he would admit to the later even under threat of prolonged torture. So far, he had been lucky. Being just a branch head and not the Clan Head made all the difference in the world. That reminded him, he would have to pay a visit to his nephew Kaien one of these days.

Speaking of Kaien, didn't he mention something about getting a new recruit recently? Well, as recent as can be, considering his sense of passing time was weird. Right… The adopted Kuchiki. From Kaien's words, the little lady was often lost in space with a frown. He'd have to see what was really going on. Based on what he could find out, he would consider going to a certain noble's house and raise hell in the classical Shiba style. Oh, yes. If Byakuya was misbehaving or not treating the new addition properly, he would find several methods to make his life miserable.

But that would have to wait. Right now, he had a completely different issue at hand. Aizen-Taichou. There was definitely something fishy with that man. He couldn't put his finger on it, but his sixth sense had never been wrong.

Since he first met the other, he had felt something off. At times, when he caught a glimpse into those brown eyes, he felt cold sweat going down his spine for no apparent reason. He had been crazy enough to once fool around and remove those square glasses. The coldness emanating from those orbs would have been enough to freeze hell in a triple layer or ice. How can 'the most loved' Taichou in all Seireitei have such bitter eyes? Isshin wondered if the man had been upset at his joke or if those were his true colors.

Before, actually, more like yesterday, he would have been ready to bet it had been his imagination. Now… not so much. Of all the Taichou in Soul Society, Aizen had been one of three to see his Bankai. The only Taichou he had no dirt on was, again, the Taichou of the Fifth. Combined with the detail that none could remember ever seeing the other upset, resulted in quite a fearsome concoction.

It wouldn't be so bad if it was one thing or the other. But a blend of all these factors? It was more than enough to keep him on his toes, vigilant and wary of the other.

Isshin may have not appeared, but during the captain's meeting, he had been high-strung and searching for each and every single reaction made by those present. Turns out, Aizen had been completely collected and unperturbed. No indications that anything he said was a shock or surprise. Just as if he himself had witnessed the ordeal.

If Isshin had been suspicious before, the assembly was more than enough to reaffirm his concerns. He had never touched Aizen's sword before and he had never gotten a proper read on it either. The lack of response during his recount and even the changes he had to make to the story… it all made him think of an actor, a master manipulator and an incredible instigator with an agenda.

Therein lies one of the many problems. If Aizen was somehow involved in the whole situation with both the missing Shinigami and the strange Hollow case, he will have a hard time proving the man's guilt. He had to give him credit for creating a near perfect façade with an impeccably clean file.

While his brain ran amok with thoughts of treason linked to the Fifth Division Taichou, they were slowly being replaced by visions of kind and tender chocolate eyes.

Yes, another particularity which wouldn't let him rest, was related to the appearance of the enigmatic Quincy girl. Isshin was not by any means into kids, nor did he consider himself a pervert of such a scale. Still, regardless of his inhibitions, he did admire the courage and strength the girl possessed.

There had been no fear when she attacked. No hesitation when she let go of her bow, just pure determination to see the task completed, even at the cost of an injury. That had been both fascinating and terrifying to witness. The childlike nature and satisfaction at having trapped the Hollow with her own body moments before she released an arrow at point blank was superb to say the least.

Isshin felt goosebumps on each occasion he thought about the whole trial. That little stunt took: guts, a fair share of confidence in ones' own abilities and lots of luck. The Hollow could have gone for any other parts of her body and not necessarily the hand. And even then, she could have been critically injured to the point of fainting or falling, risking being devoured.

Isshin was no dupe. He saw her contemplate each step of the way. Realizing she was not fast enough to properly hit the Hollow, she made a conscious choice. That on itself warranted his praise. Such a heavy decision made in the heat of battle… He could count less than fifteen Shinigami who would be capable of rational thought during a fight of such magnitude. Most were reckless, went with the flow or simply ran away scared shitless. He himself was irresponsible and wild when going all out but could control his instincts and think through when needed.

And here he found himself with a Quincy teen, who not only fought admirably well, but used brains and calculations to determine the best course of action. He sure did owe her one.

That too, was unusual. Based on his knowledge and his most recent research, Quincies and Shinigami were not all that chummy with each other. With good reason. The wars and gloom both parties sustained warranted precaution. For Quincies, that rang more so true. Which made him question as to why? Why to jeopardize limbs, safety and whereabouts just to help him, a Shinigami?

 _'All in all, it is true that some Quincy are still alive… She saved me, a Shinigami… and even proclaimed to be a Quincy. That was really brave of her… She was really something else… I should have asked her more.'_

Those were but a few of his reflections on the valiant mini-lady. He may not know her status and she may be young. But there were no questions that she earned the label of 'Lady', at least in his books.

With a last sigh he mumbled to himself.

"Maybe… I could meet her again… to thank her properly."

Arriving to the conclusion he would find pleasure in seeing the girl again had been simple enough. To thank her, was nothing more than an excuse. Yes, he would extend his gratitude, for he truly was indebted, but he couldn't lie that well, not even to himself.

Acting out on his wish, he started preparations to do just that. He would have to leave a message to his Fuku-Taichou without exposing himself to Matsumoto's rage filled punches. Leaving a note would have to do. The hard part was to actually take-off unnoticed. That was going to be a challenge. Mission: _'Evade Matsumoto long enough to slip out of Seireitei'_ officially began.

* * *

Before long, the final school bell rang and a swarm of students leaving the building ensured. Pupils of all classes could be seen roaming around the perimeters of the structure. Some had extracurricular activities, others took advantage of the lawn to rest and get some sun, thugs, who rarely attended classes, were hiding in corners waiting, like predators, for their next victim.

Therefore, it was not uncommon to see groups of students mingling together. Power in numbers was a testament to their drive to reach their respective homes relatively unharmed. Finally, there was the air-headed ones which consisted of mostly females who animatedly spent their walks home in chatter.

Girls were rarely disrupted for various reasons. Any perpetrators would be either ridiculed for going against females or worst yet, forced in a shopping spree with said group. More often than not, boys evaded attempts against girls in fear of retribution from hidden admirers and the humiliation in the even that a girl could best them in a fight.

Among girlish gibberish, Masaki's melodic voice could be heard. The lively new student was having a heated conversation with her friends Kanan and Shiho. Both were just slightly taller than the newest addition to the group.

Kanan was a slender girl with a robust and sun-tanned figure. Her messy blonde shoulder length hair and long fringes encompassed her sharp face. Black eyes and thin eyebrows spoke volume on just how agitated she was at the ongoing topic.

Shiho could be considered her polar opposite. The girl was soft spoken, with long onyx-black hair, short eyebrow length bangs which were cut in a straight line. Her skin was paler compared to her two companions. Her anatomy showcased tenderness and frailness. Not surprising, as the girl tended to be ill more often than not.

Surprisingly, ever since she met Masaki, not once did she get sick. Being an optimistic person and curious in the field of alternate medicine, she was under the impression that Masaki possessed a positive radiance which could influence everything and everyone around her. She was sure, Masaki was not conscious of possessing such a brilliant bio-energy. In her mind, Masaki's helpful spirit felt the need of those around her and subconsciously gave a helping hand without her direct involvement. If only the girl knew half of the story.

The playful banter between Masaki and Kanan was focused on Masaki's private life and living with the Ishida's. It had been a known fact from day one that the new girl came to school with the cool and unattainable Ishida Ryuken. And that was why Kanan was pressing the unfortunate youngling for details.

"I mean it, are you really fine?! You live in the same house as Ishida-senpai. Every single day must be exciting!"

Poor Masaki was smiling at Kanan's antics. Her efforts to make it a normal occurrence were all lost to the excited blonde.

"We are cousins you know! There is nothing between us!"

Sympathetically, Shiho added her two cents in the mix.

"That's true. And even if he wasn't your cousin, you are not that type."

Masaki would have exhaled in appreciation, had she not caught up the full meaning behind Shiho's words.

"See. You really get me Shiho… Though, I don't know why you have to make that comparison. You, sly meanie!"

Not being easily deterred, Kanan went further.

"And how would you know Shiho? Ma, even if Ishida-senpai and I were cousins, he'd still make me wet and horny."

Blushing madly, Masaki nearly screamed out loud at her perverted colleague.

"Kanan! That's dirty! Shiho, scold her, would you?"

None of the girls took notice of what was going in front of them and so missed the casual walking of a most unusual character. Urahara Kisuke would have preferred to be anywhere else at that point in time, rather than casually strolling around Karakura. The fact that he had exchanged his green outfit for a more appropriate green kimono and large black overcoat with white diamonds at the bottom, might or might not have something to do with that feeling. Let alone, the detail that he had swapped his clogs for regular waraji sandals and white socks.

What could have been considered just a walk around was in fact a very carefully planned scout in which he could tag the Quincy girl without raising suspicion. He had observed from a distance, but it was about time to have a better look at his temporary charge. Which brought him in the middle of the street, looking intently at a shop vitrine, while in truth monitoring the Quincy's moves.

Not long after the last exclamation, Masaki's eyes went wide. Urahara could see in slow motion how those same orbs lost focus. If he didn't do anything, the girl would fall unconscious. Acting out of duty and respect, he placed himself in front of the girl's path, releasing a bit of healing Kido in the process. It took no time at all for his ward to regain her senses, but the bump on his person could not be avoided, if he was to pull that move efficiently. And so, he did not evade it.

"Ah! Oh…I'm sorry…"

Going along with his act, he immediately waved her off and responded in kind.

"Oh, no. It's alright, I should have looked where I was going. Are you alright?"

Masaki's response was interrupted by Kanan's yell.

"Are you ok Masaki? Come on, hurry up! Or we'll leave you behind!"

 _'Saved by a human girl. How lame.'_ Urahara would have punched himself at the ridiculous notion. He silently swore never to mention this incident to Yoruichi-san.

Having noticed her friends a few steps ahead, Masaki forgot all about the person she collided with and hastened her pace to catch up with Kanan and Shiho. In doing do, she never realized the jolt which passed through the person's frame.

Urahara had been so out of it, he belatedly realized what he had sensed just mere seconds ago. Looking back at the Quincy girl, he suppressed a gasp. There, lying dormant within the recesses of Quincy reiatsu, were near imperceptible Hollow residues. His expression turned from astonished to dead serious in a jiffy.

 _'That is not good. Not at all. At this point even if treated, the damage is already done. I better get in touch with a certain Kurosaki-sama before he deems it worthy to wring my neck off. Can't blame him if he tries to do just that. There is also the situation with the Tenth Taichou. Maybe…'_

Quickly he vanished from sight, opting to continue tailing the girl from a distance. It would do no good if he was to lose track of her now and give the Emperor more reasons to skin him alive. If his presumption was correct, he had additional unexpected work to do.

* * *

Waking up from a turbulent and very vivid dream, Haschwalth woke refreshed if a little frantic. Knowing his luck, something huge occurred during his resting hours. Judging from the blinking of his newest gadget connected to his Majesty, he'd say he was right. He had been around for a long time and had been under the service of his Majesty for most of his life. That in turn reminded him of his first encounter with both Bazzard Black and the imposing figure of the Quincy King.

* * *

Before meeting the Emperor, he had been shunned by his parents and given away to his uncle for being born as _'damaged'_ and _'incomplete'_ Quincy. A most hideous and despicable man who abused him to no ends. Coming from an Echt family, but without the proper skill to form a bow, had been a curse he lived with for several years.

Bazzard Black came out of the blue. During one his Haschwalth's many attempts at hunting and forming a bow, the kid came out of nowhere to the rescue, talking about greatness and cheering a small Haschwalth in not giving up. The prick had been way too arrogant, stating he was a genius, but did his best to be there for Haschwalth. He had been the one to encourage his latent talent at using a regular sword instead of the classic bow and arrows made of Reishi. He had been the first and only friend he had ever had.

He had spent innumerable nights at Bazzard's place, which in turn saved him from several beatings and worse situations. One day, during a spar with Bazzard, the two sensed an unusual vibration in the air. They went their separate ways to their respective residences. What awaited Haschwalth had been an inferno. His uncle's house had been burned to the ground, leaving nothing but ashes. Among the flames, he noticed a corpse wearing a slowly melting silver coat… his uncle's mantle.

Haschwalth may have not liked the male nor his constant manhandling. But he had been the only relative he had known. Even so, he felt no anguish, no hurt at seeing the destruction. Turning away from the scene, he moved forward and never looked back.

He had gone to Bazzard in hopes of receiving shelter. Once there, he had been assaulted by a crying Bazzard. His home too, had been invaded. Contrary to Haschwalth, he bore witness to the carnage that ensured.

It had been a group of bandits with surreal powers. Quincies who wanted to challenge the newly-appointed King. They were forming an army with the goal to usurp the throne. Bazzard swore vengeance upon those who destroyed his land and the nearby village. As well as the supposed King who did nothing to prevent the devastation.

Haschwalth thought it severe to want to harm someone who had nothing to do with the case. In his opinion, it wasn't the unknown King's fault. It wasn't like the man could see the future or prevent any wrongdoings from happening. In his uncle's library, he had found bits and pieces of information related to the Emperor. After all, it had been fairly recent news.

The King was a Quincy unlike any other. Capable of strengthening his followers and bestowing them with gifts and unmatched powers. He wondered, if someday he would get to meet him. How he had longed for the opportunity to be blessed by said man. He would have gladly done nearly anything, just for the chance at becoming a true Quincy. After the fall of his home, he wasn't as eager. At least, he never mentioned it to Bazzard, who was hard strung to decimate any and all those responsible for the annihilation of his household and community.

And so, the two traveled together, hunted their own food and moved around, never knowing that the Emperor had sent a search and rescue unit.

Five years later, tired out form a long training session, the two youngsters, turned adolescents, ended up entering a tavern right before sundown. Their minds on naught but a good meal and comfortable beds. By that time, they had learned to do odd jobs every so often to earn the money for clothes, food and other supplies needed for the long journey.

The inn had been a dingy and dirty place, filled to the brim with all kind of folks. Rumors about a group of deserters circulated vividly among patrons. The gossip had caught both of the newly arrived customers attention. Scanning the drunkards, they easily picked out the one whom they could bribe for intel with extra booze.

The male in question wore bronze ragged trousers and a beige shirt which had seen better days, if the stains and holes adorning it was any indication. Black eyes, grey bushy eyebrows and a thick silvery-gray beard spoke of an unkempt individual who spent his time wasting away. The head was bald, with scars and deep wrinkles at every angle. Drink by drink, Bazzard pried and poked the other for information, to which the other gladly obliged.

By the end of the evening, they ran out of logging money, but had gathered enough to know that the Emperor himself, along with an army was to soon reach town. It was said that the King had been infuriated with the ruin of the **Drude*** county in **Thuringii*** and was chasing down those responsible for the inhuman act. That came as a shock to the temperamental Bazzard. For years he pegged the rumored ruler as nothing but a lazy, uncaring, overpowered tyrant, who cared not for meager farmers and lower nobility.

On that occasion, Haschwalth refrained from making any remarks. He was glad the King was not as Bazzard imagined. But he was concerned…his anxiety derived from not knowing if he was suitable enough as a candidate to receive his good grace. No matter the hard exercises he performed, he could not for the love of him, create a Reishi bow to save his life. He had become self-proficient with a sword, yet royal like the Emperor, surely, would not have a need for an inexperienced powerless youth.

The duo decided to stick near the entrance gates and slept on the outskirts. Basically, in the wilderness. It was not a new concept to either one of them after the many nights slept under the starry skies.

The following day had been a hectic one for the tiny town. True to the chatter, a battalion came through. Everyone had anticipated a much larger number of soldiers than the meager handful. The poor peasants, they had no idea just how strong a single man from that group truly was. Not to mention, their leader. The troop was ridding on horses for the sake of appearances and marching with little regards to the folks around time.

Or so they made it believe, as the very moment a playing kid ran amidst the crowd, all paused instantly, including the riders. Which was fortunate, as had they proceeded, it would have ended in a disaster and the death of the curious little tyke who would have startled the horses and become dust under the horses' hooves. Such discipline and prompt reaction had been unseen in the puny citadel.

The child was a scrawny little thing, with old grey trousers and an equally worn-out coffee brown shirt. His short honey-brown straight locks appeared to be of a lighter hue in the blinding sun, than what they truly were. Lime-green eyes were looking at the paused horses in wonder. A tiny nose, small ears hidden by flat hair and pale lips adorned the juvenile chubby face, making him seem younger than what he might be. The overly-tanned skin had numerous bruises and scrapes, speaking of a hard life in a harsh environment. The lack of a parent screaming in panic, too, made everyone present aware of the fact that the boy was, indeed, all alone.

Having taken notice of the change in the air, the youngster moved his eyes from the enormous animals to look around. He soon realized most everyone was looking at him, each with a different expression. Some had been awed, others astonished and frightful. Though, the vast majority gave him glances which clearly stated: _'You are one lucky bastard'_.

The later became a clear fact the moment the kid, confused by all the stares, made a few steps backwards and bumped into a jet-black stallion with a creamy-brown mane. Its rider had been none other than the alleged 'Emperor Bach'. Not that the awed youngling had any idea, so focused he was on the beautiful large creature.

Giving the stunned onlookers a heart-attack, instead of getting angry at the child, the King dropped gracefully from the horse and sank on eye-level with the little one. Gasps and murmurs spread like a wild-fire. None had expected for a royal to lower himself to speak with an inferior being. The whispers were, in fact, so loud, the viewers missed the conversation between the two, or the appearance of what could have been a colonel at the Emperors' side.

The black-haired feminine commanding officer, had a somewhat skeptic expression, which was soon replaced by a mortified and humble bow, before he resumed his position on his cinnamon and white colored mare.

Glancing around, reddish-brow eyes settled on two particular spectators, fixing his gaze on a young Haschwalth.

Back then, Haschwalth barely contained his urge to wet his pants. The look had been intense but not dangerous. In fact, he would have sworn, there had been recognition, understanding, sympathy and a dose of interest blended all in one. As the Emperor rose to his full height, so did Haschwalth get a proper look at the other.

Ink-black wavy shoulder-length hair with dark-chocolate highlights seemed alive swaying with the breeze. Thin black eyebrows settled in a frown were the initial curtain leading to reddish-brown almond shaped eyes. The same ones which bore into his soul. A medium long, straight pointy nose, thin stubble's styled in friendly mutton chops, shallow cheeks and thin pink lips framed the sharp face giving of the air of a disheveled, but clean and neat person.

How the two contradictions complimented each other, had been and remained a mystery to Haschwalth. It may have been contributed to the detail that each hair stood exactly where it was supposed to be. Like nothing could ruffle the other's feathers.

The outfit itself was not that much different from what his soldiers wore. Albeit, the material was enough to distinguish the Kings' from the rest. A white shirt opened at the top, had been hidden beneath an equally white knee-length coat with gold buttons. A black belt adorned with a golden buckle kept the outfit firmly in place around the middle. Baggy comfortable-looking pristine white trousers disappeared within black mid-calf travel boots. The most distinguishing difference was the additional black soft looking calf-length overcoat, which was buttoned to the front with two pure white buttons connected with a lengthy rope of the same shade.

All in all, the Emperor was terrifying without trying to be intimidating. No wonder most folks felt both fear and respect. Haschwalth's assessment was interrupted when a large hand caressed his tresses and a deep warm baritone demanded his attention.

"You wouldn't happen to be Jugram Haschwalth and Bazzard Black?

Haschwalth had been so immersed in his evaluation, he did not perceive the others movements nor his approach, let alone the brief exchange of words between the King and the orphan. Sensing his companion's lack of attention, Bazzard was the one to respond.

"Yeah, and what of it?! It's not your business."

The bite in his words may have seemed either courageous or entirely stupid. Even though most watchers were inclined towards the later. The Quincy royal took no offence. In fact, he was mildly amused. Or so, thought Haschwalth. His concerns faded the moment he observed a small change in the male's lips, they had curved upwards in what could have been a minuscule smile.

Turning his head to meet Bazzard's heated glare, the small pleased look soon changed to a sorrowful.

"Ah, I see the notorious Black temper was passed down to you, young one. I am glad to see both of you made it out of Drude relatively unharmed. The troop I sent to reinforce your homeland had been, regrettably, too late to save you, your loved ones or your land. For that you have my deepest apologies and condolences."

Bazzard was speechless. The honest ring of sadness in those words, accompanied by the solemn tone, somehow managed to extinguish the hatred accumulated since that hellish day. He gave the ruler a one-over and quickly made a new decision.

"If you speak the truth, take us with you. We have all the rights to fight to avenge those lives and all we have lost."

The gossiping mob was sure the pink-head kid lost a few screws along the road and were about to shout in disdain, as were several soldiers. They were stopped by the Emperor's nod of the head.

"Indeed. I can, certainly, take you with me and my men to fulfill this request and desire of yours. But let me ask you this: 'What will you do once you extract your vengeance?' I presume, you are aware that spilling the culprits blood will not return your cherished ones back from the afterlife. So, I ask you: 'What next?' Once the deed is done, will you abandon your loathing and move on or will you live a miserable existence in which you will continuously grieve for your loss?"

Bazzard had been taken aback by the sudden questioning. In all honesty he had not thought that far in advance. Hell, he never expected to become strong enough to challenge the King. That realization made him pause. Had he been ready to throw away both his and Jugo's life for the sake of revenge? Worst of all, he had wanted to end the life of the very man who was making him see just how foolish he had been. What had he been thinking, dragging a weak Jugo along for the ride?

"I'd say, you did not think that far in advance. It is not wrong to wish ill towards those who hurt us… it is only human. There is potential in both of you. Would you like to join my ranks and use that power coursing through your veins to help me improve the kingdom? I ask both of you individually, if you are willing to lend me your strength and assist in protecting others with the hope that such tragedy does not happen in the future."

Simultaneously, Bazzard and Jugram looked at each other. And while Bazzard was more inclined to accept, Jugram was unsure. He really wanted to follow Bazz and would likely choose to go along regardless of his personal wishes. At the end of the day, he was all alone, with no family and no other friends besides Bazz. But now, here was a golden chance for Bazzard's true strength to shine. He, himself, on the other hand was useless.

As if reading Haschwalth's mind, the Emperor gazed deeply into arctic blue orbs, letting out a small chuckle.

"It seems you are not aware just how special you are young Haschwalth. Let me guess, you can't form a Reishi arrow, let along a bow and because of that you are insecure in your own abilities."

It wasn't a question, but a statement. Averting his head in shame, he opted to observe the pavement which, suddenly, became very appealing. He hated to admit that the mace hit the nail right home and on his major concern. Had he been more attentive to what was going on, he would have noticed a gentle smile gracing those ruff features. Or, at the very least, that he became the center of attention, not only of the King, but of all those present. Lowering down to meet the teen's face, strong fingers kindly raised a worried chin. Once again reddish-brown met winter blue in a deep stare, full of silent promises.

For the first time in his life, Haschwalth felt safe… Protection and security radiated from the older man in waves, caressing his soul in a loving manner. Never had he felt a bond towards anyone. He did have an agreement and companionship with Bazz, but nothing of such magnitude. The Emperor took a small intake of air and whispered in Haschwalth's ear, to assure the next words went unheard by anyone besides them.

"Want to know a secret? I am exactly like you. Rather, it is you, that is identical to me. Don't let your anxiety cloud your judgement. I did say you are unique. To clarify, you are a Quincy with the power of 'Giving and Sharing', an equal to none but me."

In that instant all else was lost to the young Haschwalth. Nothing existed besides the man and his face. There were no lies, no expectations, no demands just understanding and acceptance. Regardless of the choice he made, he would not be persuaded, forced or coerced. That alone earned his gratitude and respect. His line of sight crossed with a begrudging and irritated Bazz, who, once he perceived the others questioning stare, merely shrugged his shoulders, as if to say _'I know as much as you'_.

Silently, they both considered their options. And, though Haschwalth had been indebted to Bazzard for taking care of him, he was contemplating the absurd. Here was the Quincy Sovereign whom he had heard so much about, giving him the opportunity of a lifetime. His sense of duty and friendship, in the end, outweighed the golden chance. He would go with Bazz, regardless of how much he wanted to permanently accompany the King. Maybe, after Bazz satisfies his blood-thirst, he may change his opinion. But until then, he would not desert the fiery teenager.

Contrary to Haschwalth's thoughtful expression, Bazzard was burning with the desire to jump at the presented prospect. If he was to join, he was sure Haschwalth would be allowed to accompany him. He would get to see the end to those miserable fools who murdered his family and was getting a permanent job. He sucked at most mundane work. If he was to become a soldier, he could continue to become more and more powerful, upgrade his skills and attain glory by becoming a hero. Without further ado, he exclaimed.

"Well then, what are we waiting for? I am sure we have some bad guys to capture. They won't apprehend themselves, you know."

The Sovereign closed his eyes and shook his head in amusement. When he opened them again, he received a matching nod from a sky Haschwalth. Turning from the two, he approached the previously agitated sergeant.

"Hubert, we have three new recruits in need of proper attires. Little Rydell with his affinity towards horses, will be trained into becoming a stable boy. On the other hand, Jugram Haschwalth and Bazzard Black will join us in our quest."

* * *

Reminiscing about the past always brought forth a smile to his face. It took no time at all for the troublesome duo to be dressed up and ready to march. Within a few days, they caught up to the perpetrators responsible for the annihilation of their home. Bazzard had identified all those who had been present at that time and separated them from those he had not seen on that fateful day. Needless to say, the punishment had been dealt accordingly and the two were officially brought to the palace and taught in the Quincy ways.

Haschwalth had received personalized training from the King himself since he was different from the others and was the sole person who could, if for a moment, share the Emperors' burden. Though, admittedly, after their first encounter, it took quite a long time for Haschwalth to allow any form of skin-on-skin contact. Nonetheless, the Emperor had been patient and understanding. Treating Haschwalth like his very own son.

Bazzard had been ecstatic with his assignments and tasks, feeling like a true champion, fighting bad guys and Hollows alike, saving the day and rescuing those in need.

During a particularly troublesome mission, they encountered Lady Serena. A woman full of life and passion. She was not the usual Greek Goddess in appearance, but her inner spirit was brighter than the Sun and Moon combined.

At 5'6'' nearly 5'7'' with a robust and round structure, she was far different from the twig-like skeletons that threw themselves at the Emperors' feet. Her personality was rowdy, turbulent and bordering on Volcanic, especially when angered.. But her genuine care for others and everyone's well-being, accompanied by a warm smile which could light entire countries, was by far the greatest and most troublesome part of her character. After all, in her efforts to assure everyone's comfort and happiness, more often than not, she would neglect her own needs and desires.

Shoulder length blonde-brown hair with occasional black, blonde and white highlights could be frequently seen tied in various ponytails. On rare occasions, it would be interlaced in a long braid. Long fringes were either tucked behind all-hearing ears or were tied at the back with the rest of her hair. Light brown eyebrows, pitch-black eyelashes, round sea-blue eyes, a medium roman nose and full pink lips encompassed the oval kind face.

Life had abruptly changed with her around. Mind you, it wasn't for the worst, on the contrary, she was able to bring out the best in everyone. She had gone so far as to proclaim Haschwalth as her adoptive son, showering him with attention and love only a mother could express. He had been immensely touched and grateful. His Majesty had often bantered with her, claiming that he had been the first to find him and make him a part of the family.

Back then, Haschwalth felt complete. He had companions, friends, 'pay-mates' and a true loving family who did not reprimand him for being unusual. On the contrary, they made him feel normal. Bazzard would joke around and call him prince from time to time. But it was always in good fun.

For his sixteenth birthday, Haschwalth got a certificate which officially declared him a part of the Kurosaki Household. And though, he had been overjoyed beyond words, he did request for his name to stay the same. Through the years spent at the King and Queen's side, he felt proud of being the only other Quincy with the same power as the Emperor. If he was to replace the name, he felt it would have been presumed he inherited the gift from his Majesty instead of being blessed with it upon birth. Nevertheless, that had been the happiest day of his life. Seconded only by the announcement that he would get brothers or sisters or a combination of the two.

The day Ladies Katagiri and Masaki were born was a benediction and one of the saddest recorded in the history of their kingdom. Two baby girls for the life of their mother. His Majesty had lost all traces of a smile. He never ceased to adore and love his adopted son, nor did he ever felt anguish or hatred towards the two spirited babies, claiming that their mother lived on in each breath they take. And though he loved his children, he was unable to laugh the same way. The Sun and center of his world had been ripped from him and nothing he did could bring his beloved wife back.

The previously warm palace, became tepid but never lost its kind touch. That is, until the Denka had come to the world. The little one closed a void in the King's core and in the hearts of those living under his rule. Haschwalth treated the youngling as a proper big brother should, but never disclosed his official status as uncle. Never had Haschwalth used his documents which proved him to be the 'first son' into the Kurosaki family. There was no need. He was more than happy with being the Second in Command, the Other Half to the Emperor's tremendous and still growing powers.

Nights were never easy, as he would take the blunt of his Majesty's might. But that too, was alleviated and became much more bearable since the birth of the orange menace. Perhaps he was too strict with his description, but the little Denka truly lived to such a picture. Just like his grandmother, he could pull everyone around without efforts.

To think that Soren was the criminal who extinguished the feisty Ray of Sun. Unforgivable. Knowing the Emperor and Shirosaki, he was sure he might be late in calling dibs on the perpetrators' life, but that did not mean he would not get his go at the corrupted demon.

Which brought him back to the present. He should hurry. Based on the message he received from his Majesty they should meet post-haste. There was more trouble than they originally imagined. He pondered on what could have the Emperor meant with a 'House full of rodents'. Surely, it couldn't be what it implied? Traitors within their ranks? He had been surprised at the next part which asked him to bring 'The Black **Huron*** ' along.

Black Huron was a code-name specially created by the Denka for Bazz-B. It had been an internal joke and pay back for the nickname 'Orange Menace'. Only the Emperor, the little Denka, Shirosaki, Bazzard and Haschwalth had known of the moniker.

A new challenge would be to get Bazzard to the Eldritch Chamber without getting caught. Normally, the two avoided being seen talking to each other for more than what was necessary to issue an order. Even then, Soren had been careful and instigated that all were to carry transmitters at all times.

It was a good call on Haschwalth's side to fight fire with fire. The main reason he did design his own technology. Without further delay, he took the device connected to Bazzard and sent him a silent note to meet him at once on the outskirts of the castle near the entrance to **Dunkelbaum***. He did not mention it, but from there he would take him to the hidden room. It will be a first for the other. He sincerely hoped Bazzard would be able to control himself. Though, with Shirosaki been part of the equation, it was never a guaranteed assurance.

Exasperatedly, he rose from the bed, did his morning routing and prepared for a long meeting. To reaffirm his deception, he opted to wear a training attire, which would make it even more believable that he and Bazzard would not cross paths. After all, Bazzard will be given the task to roam in the Living World, while Haschwalth will be training outside the palace. Yes, he had to plan every step of the way to guarantee their success in misleading everyone around.

* * *

Bazzard Black was not a morning person. In fact, he detested any wake-up calls before at least 9:00 am. Those unfortunate souls who got on his bad early-morning temper were scarce and far in between.

The only one who could get him up any earlier and get away with it, was Haschwalth. The prick enjoyed in tormenting him on every possible occasion and opportunity. Similar to his current predicament. So, here he was, at 8:30 am drinking his shot of pure adrenaline _aka_ black coffee with three spoons of sugar and half a cup of milk. He may like the rush the dark liquid gave, but the taste was a big bummer. He found out the secret to relish in his coffee by the 'Pale (ass) Demon' and the 'Orange Menace'. Mind you, the 'ass' addition was never proclaimed loudly. Where one liked his coffee on the stronger side with the addition of milk, the other preferred to sweeten it.

Chuckling to himself at the appropriate nicknames, he recalled the many reactions he pulled out from the fascinating duo whenever he called out to them. On a good day, he would get Shirosaki to grin and an annoyed face from Denka. God forbid both were irritated.

They were different yet similar. Like day and night, the Moon and the Sun, never separated for long, always ready to back one another. Just as they complemented each other in personality, so did they in their fighting styles. Where the Denka was pensive and tactical, Shirosaki was wild and unpredictable.

In spite of that, there were those moments when the two were in perfect sync. More than anything, that freaked him out. A glance and a smirk were all it required for the two to reverse their roles, change tactics or simply become one in the same and all of that was achieved in a whim. It never ceased to amaze him, how with a look, they simultaneously determined which approach they wanted to use. There were no words, no sings no modifications to the gaze and still they managed to do something new and scare the living daylights out of Bazz.

To think everything went to hell because of Soren. And wasn't that a revelation that pissed him off. If nothing, he had to, reluctantly admit, Soren had a set on him. To think the other plotted against their King, killed their Denka and still have the guts to walk in Wandenreich and assume the rule as Regent.

He couldn't wait for the green light which would give him the freedom he desired and blow Soren to pieces. Beaming at the idea, he quickly finished his morning drink and went to meet Haschwalth. And, as per usual, the was already there waiting for him.

Bazzard was stunned at the attire the other wore. White cargo pants, black tennis-shoes and socks and a navy tank top with a pale accentuation towards the bottom. Darn it! He did not know he was allowed casual clothes. Had he known, he would have gladly exchanged his white uniform and cape for some jeans and t-shirt.

Which would have probably made more than a few heads turn in his direction. Shoot! He was loath to confess, but it had been a smart move from Jugo. With the full suit on, there were no doubts that he was going out on a mission and not roaming around Wandenreich. Oh well, next time they should switch roles. Yeah, right! Like that could happen thanks to a certain pain in the neck named Soren.

The entire area outside the castle was obscured with the occasional white structure or 'plant' made out of Reishi. The Dunkelbaum differs from the rest of their surrounding for being the only black colored item, outside of the sky and their surroundings, of course.

He saw Jugo putting a hand on the tree. Patterns similar to Blut Vene spread slowly through the front bark and were soon replaced by a large door. Without needing to be told, Bazz followed behind the blonde and closed the doors behind on impulse.

Imagine his surprise at seeing a conference room lit by candles which emanated a soft blue light. The white ivory chairs and crimson pillows, around a square white marble table made for four, seemed very comfortable and he promptly made himself relax on the opposite side of Jugo.

If the chamber had astonished him, it paled in comparison to witnessing a Garganta, of all things, opening to his left, Jugo's right. How in the World could Hollows breach such a place? Judging by Jugo's amazed and serious expression, he had not seen that one coming either. As one, they rose from their seats, ready to annihilate any foolish mongrels coming out from the void. Only to be shell-shocked at the two figures that came leisurely strolling out of the black-hole.

"What the…?! You've got to be shitting me!?"

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 *** _Drude_ *** – in German, they represent a kind of malevolent nocturnal spirit associated with nightmares. The word was later used as the generic term for _"witch"_ in the 16th century. I chose this name for Bazzard's and Haschwalth's home origin because I'd reckon the powerful duo attracted tons of Hollows. Since regular humans can't see them and Hollows do seem to pop-up mostly at night in Bleach, I thought it was appropriate xD (I know they roam during the day too, but they don't let a certain Substitute sleep properly either)

 _ ***Thuringii* / Toringi**_ = a Germanic tribe that appeared late during the Völkerwanderung (Migration Period) in the Harz Mountains of central Germany. Later, it became a kingdom, which came into conflict with the Merovingian Franks. Only to come under their influence and Frankish control. The name is still used for a modern German federal state.

 _ ***Huron***_ = Native American Tribe name meaning 'ruffian' or 'head of a boar'. I thought it would be hilarious to give Bazz-B a name that could easily be identified with both his mohawk and temper. 'Ruffian' somehow describes him rather well, but 'head of a boar' even better, especially with his stubbornness and stylish 'mane' xD

Fine, I confess, I'm a meanie, but you love me anyway x3

 _ ***Dunkelbaum***_ \- literally translated from German to English it would mean the Dark Tree. I was considering using Schwartzwald here, but did not want to confuse anyone as I do plan to use the real location someday in the future (maybe, it's still too early in the story to know for sure x3). Thank you, "Someone / Strawberry" Guest, for fixing my German error. Got to admit, German is, unfortunately, not my strongest language, but I do like to add a little bit of everything in the story ^ . ^

I really hope that I will need only two or three more chapters to finally have Ichigo born. Sheesh – I know you probably won't believe me, but the story itself, along with Muse-san, took me by surprise. I may have mentioned this before, but my original idea was to have Masaki and Isshin meet by chapter 7 or 8. Then Muse-sama decided to expand the tale, she gave me a delightfully nasty Soren and some other kinks. A tweak here, several jerks around in various directions… and… voila! The whole thing swept me off my feet and dragged me into a new world which is still so remarkably similar to what we know and love about Bleach.

I should probably stop my ranting and start typing chapter 30. With any luck, we'll reach 200,000 words with the next one x3

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or errors, please let me know. I am the writer and spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Until next time, have an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	30. Chapter 30

_Aloha! :)_

 _We have Chapter XXX_

 _Same good disclaimer, reminder and warnings:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

A warm Welcome to all of the new readers who made it all the way here.

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I would like to THANK each and every one of you for making my story worth writing. The many followers, favorites and amazing reviews are a huge positive influence and incentive which fills me with joy and a few devilish ideas x3

Not to mention, you give Muse-san wings – that alone makes me come back ASAP and "write away" :)

Please do enjoy this jubilee addition to the growing chapter family!

* * *

 _Chapter XXX_

* * *

"What the…?! You've got to be shitting me!?"

Haschwalth would have, oh so gladly, rolled his eyes at Bazzard's choice of words but, barely, managed to suppress the urge. He would never give either Bazz or Shirosaki the pleasure of teasing him for committing such an act. It was, after all, a privilege he had willingly given to only one person in his life and it was, certainly, neither of them. Therefore, a shake of the head followed by a sigh was all he would allow himself.

Though, admittedly, he had not expected for his Majesty and Shirosaki to make this kind of entrance. Using Ishida's medallion and coming through the main door, should have been the natural proceeding.

So, why? Why did the Emperor deem it appropriate to unveil Shirosaki's true identity? Aside from he himself, the Heika, the young Denka and the same Shirosaki, no other soul had known of Shirosaki's Hollow's side. Years, turned centuries, of keeping the albino's origins a well-maintained secret, were officially flushed down the metaphorical toilet.

He was truly baffled. Nonetheless, he trusted the King's judgment. Even in this situation, where, in his opinion, it was lacking. And if Shirosaki's blank stare was any indication, he too had not anticipated both of their presences. Well, more like, he had not known Bazzard would be attending.

Still, the calm and pleased expression on the Emperors features, spoke volumes without the need to utter a single syllable. Heika had wanted to reveal Shirosaki's roots to Bazz. If that had not been the case, this situation would have never occurred nor would he be thinking about it. Shirosaki was the first to break the aggravating silence, giving the Heika an irritated look.

"You know, there are dozens of ways we could have done this. And each and every single one **I** can come up with, would have been much more… entertaining. Don't get me started on all the good old times spent on concealing my irrefutable uniqueness and the endless guessing games. Thanks to this stunt of yours, it's all ruined."

Shirosaki's voice, at the beginning, had been relatively calm, only to grow steadily with each sentence. It became clear he was playing around to break the tension by sounding overly dramatic. Catching on that notion, the Emperor went along with the act and, with a raised eyebrow, flatly inquired.

"Your point is…?"

Throwing his hands in the air, pretending to be angered, only to cross them across his chest like a pouting child, Shirosaki hissed between the teeth.

"You could have said it advance. No, scratch that! You **should** have told me you were planning a prank. I would have made a flashier appearance."

The banter proved to be more than enough to pull Bazzard out of his stupor. Having regained his composure, he joined in on the fun.

"Well, I've got to admit one does not see this every day. Jugo, thanks for calling me in. Aw… did the _Pale Demon_ bite more than what he can chew and got eaten by a Hollow in the process? Hah! Serves you right you punk! Rejoice, you scoundrel, for you don't look that much different than a few days ago. Guess your manic complexion and nature followed you in all through death."

It was Shirosaki's turn to laugh out loud at the other's foolishness. Thanks to the outburst, he was fully awake. Next to the Hollow, the Quincy King was trying really hard to contain his amusement, not that he was very successful, since a few snickers passed through his defenses. Haschwalth too, was doing a poor job at keeping cool. Bazzard was turning his head from one person to the other. The peculiar unison reaction was weird. There was something fishy in the air, like he was the only one in the dark of some sort of twisted joke. He didn't have to think too much about it, for Shirosaki calmed down enough to stare him dead in the eyes and speak up in an amused tone.

"Silly Black Huron, do you really believe I could be bested by a meager Hollow? Ha! As if! You should know better than that. After all, how many times did I kick your ass from one week to the next?"

Leave it to Shirosaki to challenge Bazzard and push his buttons.

"Yeah?! Well, that was before. I, for one, did not die or got killed, you moron. Do you have any idea how long I've been around? Compared to you, a reincarnation, I have lived on. Now, I'm at least six times stronger than back then. Come at me if you dare. I'll mess you up all black and blue, you won't know where is up or what is down."

Bazzard had been more than a little peeved at the reminder of his past defeats. It had always been a sore subject and it did not change with the passing of time. Thus, his irritation was a normal response to the current situation. They would have to break it to the pink-headed joker that Shirosaki had always been part Hollow. Haschwalth's arctic blue crossed reddish-brown. A silent agreement was made.

"Bazzard, you may want to back down. Shirosaki is just provoking you, as usual. Unless you get a hold of yourself, I'll have no other choice but to ask you to leave. Shirosaki, you should really stop your teasing. At the moment, we don't have many people we can put our trust into. Haschwalth and Bazzard have proven themselves worthy and it is precisely because of their unfaltering loyalty that I have decided to show Bazzard your true colors. We cannot assume or warrant honesty, unless we ourselves do the same."

It was fascinating how every soul settled down at the slightest request from his Majesty. It was but one of the many talents which mesmerized the blonde of the group.

Having made his point known, the Emperor sat on the first available chair. A mug started to make its appearance and the aroma of coffee prompted Shirosaki to take his spot opposite of the Quincy. A second cup was soon forming to Shirosaki's great joy. Bazzard shot Haschwalth with a skeptic raised eyebrow but received the silent treatment. As soon as Haschwalth took his spot on the square table, he too settled down, to his right the imposing figure of the King and to his left an enigmatic Shirosaki. With the addition of the serious Jugo in front of him, he was at a loss as of what was going on.

"Before we start, I would like to clarify Shirosaki's nature to you Bazzard Black. From the very beginning, Shirosaki was and is a Hybrid. A natural born one at that. Born from a Vasto Lorde and Shinigami. Don't ask how that occurred, for that is a tale only Shirosaki has the right to state. Just know that in the past, before he joined the court as Ichigo's bodyguard, he did me a favor and I was indebted to him. As a token of gratitude, I gave him a device which converted his reiatsu into a human's. He couldn't be seen by non-spiritually aware beings. Yet, thanks to the item I provided, he was able to pose as a human when he came to the castle to apply for the position. You know that all at the palace were able to see ghosts and Hollows alike. Since then, not once did he do anything to earn my distrust. He might be different from us but he has proven himself times and times again."

Bazzard was so awestruck his mouth was wide open. Gaping from the Emperor to the Hollow-like creature, he took his time in realizing he looked like a fish out of water. When he looked at Haschwalth, somehow, he came to understand that this was old news to his companion. That alone was enough to enrage him. And, though, he was ready to pluck a few heads off, he willed himself to take several deep breaths. That did not mean, however, that his fury had been extinguished.

"Heika, with all due respect, may I know just what kind of _'courtesy'_ did Shirosaki do to permit him anywhere near the Denka? Surely, there were other ways a debt could have been paid? Why would you allow a Hollow among us? And you, Jugo! You knew! …You knew and did not see it fit to fill me in? Where the bloody hell was your mind?! He could have been feral, could have hurt the prince…"

No sooner had he uttered that sentence, did Shirosaki abruptly stand from his chair, knocking it over in the process, and grabbed Bazzard by the collar of his white jacket.

"You listen… and you listen well Bazz-B. You can tarnish my name, my origins or myself as much as you want. But don't you ever…EVER… say I could have, would have, can or will in any way hurt the only person I care about! You have no idea how important he was… and still **_is_** to me."

The last part struck Bazzard to the core. Upset he understood, the yelling even more, but the hurt and soft tone in that last verdict, was beyond his understanding.

Thinking back to those days, he had to admit that yes, it was rare to see one without the other tagging along. In most cases, a Denka going to the numerous classes with a grumpy Shirosaki following behind. He had thought Shirosaki took his job seriously and made sure not to be too far from the 'Orange Menace'. To think, there had been so much more than what met the eyes.

 _'Ah, shoot! Should have realized that sooner… I mean they were really inseparable, all those times spent together must have turned them into really good friends. Besides, I should have known Heika would have never allowed Shirosaki anywhere close to the Denka if he had not been trustworthy. Least of all, to become the kid's guard.'_

Glancing in Jugo's direction, he fully grasped how stupid he had been. Jugo may have not let anyone know, but he had been much more connected to the young prince that anyone thought. What with Jugo being the little one's uncle and member of the family. Letting out a puff of air, he looked back at Shirosaki, who had yet to release his hold on him.

"Ok! Got it! Don't get your trousers in a twist."

He may have been wrong, but hell would freeze over before he said sorry. That was the best the Pale Demon would get. Considering he was released, unharmed might he add, and the complacent look in the other's eyes, he was sure that was the end of that discussion.

It seemed the Emperor, too, was under the same impression, as he continued as thought nothing ever happened.

"Just for your references, I was indebted to Shirosaki for saving Ichigo's life. I am sure I do not have to remind just what Shirosaki did at the palace which earned him his position."

Bazzard quietly gulped. It was official, he was an idiot. How in the world did he forget that particular day? He should have known better than to doubt his Majesty's judgement. He was still very irked at not having been informed until today but said nothing in fear of angering anyone else. Nonetheless, the King must have read him like an open book, for he continued on.

"Both Ichigo and Shirosaki believed it wise to keep this data undisclosed. Can you imagine the uproar it would have caused, had anyone suspected, let alone, knew? Haschwalth was the sole exception and I personally requested for his word of honor that none shall be made aware of Shirosaki's predicament. That, regrettably, included you as well. Though, you were not advised not for fear of revealing Shirosaki's identity, but for worry that you would take your sparring sessions a notch too far."

Bazzard was the first to acknowledge those words were naught but the truth. Heck, he sure did get many satisfying battles from the pale guy. True, had he known he could have pushed the other harder, there were no doubts he would have done so. Now that he thought about it, the Denka did come frequently to break their friendly fights. More like, every single time, before they could go all out.

Man, no wonder those had been amazing. A little too astounding. Oh, boy! All this time the answer to the stupid riddle Shirosaki made-up whenever he asked about the youngster's heritage had been right in front of his face. And quite literally too! Rightfully, mocking his ignorance.

His attempt at getting some kind of guidance from his blonde companion, met an instantaneous and devastating death. Jugo had been game in the whole deceit. Darn it! Jugo was supposed to be **_his_** best friend! Oh, well. Apparently, family ties and what not, won him over. Jugo never floundered his adoption into the Kurosaki's House. Thus, not many were privy to that detail. Bazz had been the only one, aside from his newfound family, to know about it. For that reason and the sake of their camaraderie, in his heart, he already forgave the other for not giving him a hit or mentioning the scheme at all. That did not mean, he would skip this golden opportunity at poking some extra fun at his partner's expense.

Though, why let him know now? They had been really good at hiding this sweet information for so long. Not that he minded, but he was curious. How come Heika had gone out of his way to, not only tell him, but to show him irrefutable proof that Shirosaki had Hollow blood in his veins? Once again, his musing was broken by the ever-perceptive Emperor.

"Now then. You might be wondering why we are letting you on this intel. Consider it a token of our appreciation as well as a display of good faith in you. It is also a necessary data you should have. For, I do hope, we shall be working together."

Without hesitation, Bazzard lifted his right arm to the left side of his chest, his fist tightly closed, nodding once. The gesture was telling without the use of words, that he was humbly accepting and would do everything in his power to assist his Majesty, no matter what the request.

The Emperor, too, nodded once, a thankful small smile gracing his ruff features. Shirosaki scoffed, crossed his hands close to his chest like a pouting child and while looking at nothing in particular proclaimed:

"At least now he knows I never croaked in the first place. Yeah, like that is an easy thing to do. I can still kick his butt anyplace, anytime."

That was Shirosaki's way of accepting someone into his inner circle, therefore, none paid him much attention. Except, a fuming Bazzard, who, wisely, kept his mouth shut.

"Anyway, there is a much more important reason I called you both here. To bring you up-to-date with Soren's activities as well as a most disturbing revelation that certain Sternritters seem to be unreliable."

That piqued both Haschwalth's and Bazzard's interest. Bazzard could not believe anyone was stupid enough to go against Heika, especially those who witnessed his might.

Haschwalth, on the other hand, patiently waited for the revelation of whom had caused the enigmatic message 'House full of rodents'. The mere thought, was enough to make his blood boil enough to wish to cut such ignorant nitwits to ribbons. A part of him dreaded to find out whom his Majesty had meant.

At the same time, he was thirsting for knowledge. Because, in situations like these, facts were power which by far transcended physical strength. Knowing your allies and enemies was crucial. The phrase: 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer' came to mind. He will enjoy immensely in making the life of the perpetrators a never-ending nightmare.

After taking a deep breath, the Quincy King started by bringing up-to-speed Bazzard with regards to the ex-Shinigami they are associating with and the possible new threat named Aizen Sosuke. He proceeded therefore to enlighten them about the 'family heirloom' which both Soren and the mysterious Aizen Shinigami were gunning for.

For the sake of not walking on eggshells whenever a conversation pertaining to the Haldister gem popped-up, he gave a quick briefing on the stone's properties and powers. He moved forward on to recounting all which transpired the previous night as well as the quick conversation with Urahara and the strategy of infiltrating Seireitei through the Shinigami Academy.

Shirosaki noticed there was a minor diversion form the original. The time spent in the hidden chamber had been completely left out, as if Ossan had completely forgotten about it. Instead, the story was taken from the forest to the Shoten without pause. It appeared the shock from that night left a blank in the others memories. He swore to be even more vigilant of Ossan's well-being. He made sure, no one realized his minor astonishment and continued to pretend to feel lethargic.

None made a sound while the Emperor spoke and it would be several minutes afterwards that anyone dared to speak up their minds. Looking from the Emperor, to the Second in Command and all the way to Shirosaki, who appeared to have nearly dozed off more than once, Bazzard Black was having a hard time processing the whole conversation.

He only now fully grasped how deranged a mind was hidden beneath the mask wearing Regent. Halfway through the narration, he had wondered how come Soren continued to live. Had he been on the Emperor's place, Soren would already be dead. Why did they not eliminate him on sight before the first meeting?

Compared to that, the revelation of the traitor's names did not come out as such a surprise. Driscoll had always annoyed him with his superiority complex. Since the guy was all brawl and no brains, it wasn't so surprising he would switch sides. The same could be said for Jerome, who was more animal than human. Beat him into submission and his animalistic tendencies will surface and change parties. Huh? That must have been how Soren got him in the first place.

Of course, wherever Jerome was, Berenice was not far behind. He never understood the relationship between the two, but some things are better left unexposed. Though, he had to give it to Soren. To be able to withstand Berenice 'The Question' must not have been an easy feat. There was no way Berenice would shift unless one could endure her incessant interrogations. It was proof of a skilled and twisted personality.

Speaking of sick minds, Giselle and PePe really topped the cake. What could have Soren promised to the nut-case guy dressed as a woman? He shuddered at the thought. PePe was another special case, he dared not even consider what the payment must entice. It will be imperative to keep an extra set of eyes on the fatty male. God only knows what will happen if the lunatic uses his 'Love' on Jugo.

The knowledge that Huber was involved and trying to get more followers was the greatest surprise. As the Vice-captain of the Sternritter, he could easily coax others to believe in the Regent and make him the new Monarch. Although it was plausible, the plan had a major flaw. Only one who could sit on the Throne and live to tell the tale was to be chosen as the Sovereign. It was designed to be used by one who could rule and be 'The Father of the Quincy'. The Throne was specially made to select the rightful heir.

In the past only one individual, besides Heika, had ever sat upon it, used its might and survived. The Denka. Prior to that incident, many were cynic and disbelieving when the Emperor announced that the palace and empire will be left in the care of a child. Imagine all of their surprise when the little tyke assumed momentary command of their troops.

Bazzard remembered well. It was during the time the Quincy and Shinigami looked to make a truce. The King had been invited to Soul Society for a peace conference and left the young Denka and Haschwalth behind. Not long after the Sovereign's departure, the palace was attacked by an army of Hollows. The prince's tactics in fighting against the humongous horde of Hollows as well as the use of the Throne, had lead them to victory with no casualties on their side.

Such a glorious battle won by the one all had considered to be an infant. To say the vast majority had been left speechless, would be an understatement. Lets' just say, from that day on, none had ever doubted the Denka's birthright and future role as the sole heir to the Throne. Still, apparently, thanks to Soren and his plots, he didn't last long enough to assume his rightful position.

That on itself, made him pause. In all the centuries since his demise, how come the Denka never once reincarnated? Bazzard couldn't bring himself to state this delicate inquiry. He had so many questions, not enough time to ask, let alone to get answers. He would have to settle with the first priority. And apparently, that was the same conclusion Jugo had come up with, if his question was any indication.

"Heika, what should be done with the traitors? Just give us the word and we will deliver them in pieces on a silver platter."

Bazzard had a grin stretched on his face. It was so big, in fact, it was in danger of splitting his face. He had not expected this kind of blood-lust from Jugo. Ha! It seemed, he had much more of a 'good' influence on his partner than he originally thought. Either that, or he was pissed beyond words. Why was there a little voice in the back of his head urging him to believe it was probably the latter? He never got to chase that inner argument as the deep tenor of the Emperor brought him out before it actually happened.

"There won't be any need, for now. I actually do believe, if we play our cards right, we may get even closer to Soren and his future plans. Make no mistakes, for his past crimes, his current conspiracies and future misconducts, I do not intend to kill him."

Silence and astonished looks were thrown at the King. Had the Emperor completely lost it? No sooner had the idea settled in both Bazzard's and Haschwalth's minds, Heika changed his posture from tranquil to outright murderous. He placed his elbows on the table crossing his fingers at the top. In a smooth move, he gently and, oh, so slowly, laid his chin on mentioned on top of those digits. A dangerous, sinister smirk along with blazing eyes did a marvelous job of reducing those present to ashes. When he resumed talking, it was with a vicious and dark voice.

"On the contrary, this time the mission is complete **_annihilation_**. I desire to **_obliterate_** him to the point he will never, **ever** , return in any form. I am not going to give him the privilege of being imprisoned in the deepest pits of Hell. What he did, along with his existing misbehaving's, warrants nothing less. For that, I need to make sure there are no errors on the way and no loopholes he could use to come back. Turning him to dust will be naught but an affront to what I want him to go through. I plan to fragment and shred his very soul into nothingness and erase him from existence."

Dear Lord, to be this terrifying, should be illegal. Surely, not even Yamamoto's flames could hold a candle to the intense heat radiating from the Quincy King at that moment in time. No wonder the Shinigami had considered the Quincy a threat. With a ruler like Heika at their side, the Quincy must have been the most frightening race in all the worlds. Like hell spawns, used in scary nighttime stories.

Oh my, were all three witnessing the event, ever so glad they were not on the others' bad side. They'd rather be running over the hills, over and over again than be on the receiving end of Heika's raging fury.

At the mere thought, Bazzard visibly paled and gulped. Haschwalth was more reserved, but he too was failing to conceal his shuddering. Shirosaki was occasionally shivering in awe, dread, respect and a certain level of eagerness. What to say, but that he is part Hollow? He found thrill in the idea of battle. Not to mention, the chance of reducing an opponent to smithereens. Better yet, he was indirectly being given permission. Ah, the joy!

Having made his point clear, he lowered his hands from the table, leaving a small part of the wrists and his still crossed fingers atop. With the next large intake and exhale of breath, the deadly aura vanished from the room. Leaving the rest of the occupants in a cold sweat.

"Soren mentioned he has a laboratory in an old dungeon. In other words, he converted a prison into a lab. I would greatly appreciate if you two can locate this hide-out. Based on his words, there must be a device which assisted him in gaining memories of his previous life. I am very positive the same machinery is one of the components responsible for his resurrection. Without the location, we cannot remove him for good. Therefore, this will be our starting point and the top priority."

The Emperor made a quick pause before continuing.

"The traitors will be dealt with in due time. However, we can make the best out of the situation at hand and use their ignorance to our benefit. We do know that Hubert and Giselle are in charge of getting more soldiers on Soren's side. I leave it up to you two on _how_ you go about thwarting those plans without getting caught."

He gave Haschwalth and Bazzard a meaningful look, hoping the two got the picture. It was more for Bazzard's sake rather than his Second in Command. After all, Haschwalth did not need much data compared to the thick-headed 'Heat'. One of the many things he had always been thankful about the silent Balancer and Head Tactician.

"As for Berenice and Driscoll… heh… well, they will never be able to locate Masaki and thus, at the moment, they are irrelevant. Just be cautious around them, especially Jerome. He is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but his instincts are spot on. If his new 'pack' is in danger, he will attack and, in the process, expose our involvement."

He took a small break to make sure everything sank in. Noticing the eager gazes on his spectators he proceeded.

"As it stands, Hubert and PePe are our main concerns. Hubert has two tasks: to persuade more Sternritters in electing Soren as the new Ruler, the second one is to get Haschwalth to their side. PePe will be monitoring everything and will abuse any weakness displayed. He will pounce at any given chance, so be careful. His 'Love' can manipulate the hearts and minds of anyone he manages to hit, therein lies his greatest flaw. He actually has to hit the target. If one is fast enough, it can be altogether avoided. Haschwalth, you must take extra precautions around him without alerting him. Know that he will not hesitate nor will he give Hubert enough time to persuade you to their side."

Stopping once again, the Emperor took another small breath, only to continue with in a slightly dejected manner.

"It is for these reasons, I would like you to consider an additional task. Gradually, you can give hints here and there to Hubert that you are eager for action. Make him believe that you are getting tired of waiting for the seal to release me from my confinement and that you wish deeply to have the Wandenreich move in any direction. Anything to break the current stand-still."

It did not take a genius to realize the idea was not up to Haschwalth's liking. And, judging by the tone in Heika's voice, he too was not pleased by having to suggest it. Although, if Hubert believed he was the one to coax Haschwalth to their side, by default, their issue with PePe would be no more. In doing so, the blonde could secure a firm place within Soren's ranks and be the perfect spy to his Majesty. The risks were high and chances of being discovered even greater, yet the advantages would be immeasurable.

Having considered all options, Haschwalth met the Emperor's eyes and nodded in agreement. Bazzard would have protested but, yet again, refrained from doing anything rash. At the end of the day, it was only up to Jugo and no one else. The King did give him an outing and did not force the suggestion. That and many more traits, were undeniable characteristics of the Sovereign Bazzard admired.

The meeting went on for a while, all four giving their input on how to deal with the assigned tasks. Bazzard was not left out, as he had to pry and poke the remaining Sternritter to reaffirm those who continue to be loyal and separate possible future conspirators. He was to also check which soldiers could be easily bought or fooled as those would undoubtedly end up as Soren's minions.

Any semblance or need for sleep long forgotten. Shirosaki was wide awake and eerily aware of everything going on both inside the meeting and outside of it. He wanted to make sure a Hollow such as the one from the previous night would not jump out of tin air. Especially given their prolonged stay within the _'Shadow's realm'_. Ossan had kept the transmitters received from the shopkeeper but they were rendered partly useless. They did send part of their discussion back to the Shoten. Yet, their location and certain topics were well concealed. The Emperor did not want to give too much data to the scientist on his army or its whereabouts.

Honestly, it was pointless. Why give him their reiatsu but not give him info on the Wandenreich? Surely, sooner or later Getabōshi will figure out that they had been inside the shadows of Soul Society. Truth be told, Shirosaki was a little disappointed the nutcase did not call them in on that tiny detail. Meh, maybe he needed more time to get to the bottom of it. Either that, or the shop owner was not that interested since they were working together.

Speak of the devil and in he _talks_ , mentioned crazy hat wearing man was calling them via the little trinkets. As the devices were already in their possession, Ossan called for a moment of silence until he spoke to their ally. Taking the piece of equipment from one of his jackets inner pockets, he pressed a button on the little item so the conversation on both ends could be heard by all present.

"Good day Urahara-san. May I inquire as to what happened?"

There was chuckling on the other line, followed by a jovial voice.

"Ah… straight to the point eh your Majesty?"

None made a sound, hoping the man on the other line would understand to just get a move on. Which he did, but the tone was not as happy.

"In that case, you might want to know that your ward in the Living World has been infected by last night's Hollow and is not faring well. As promised, I made sure no harm befell her today until she reached home. Still, I am afraid I cannot undo the damage she sustained during the night's events. But, I do have an alternative solution as a back-up plan and I can only pray it will work."

Shirosaki jumped out of his chair and was ready to open a Garganta straight to Masaki. Closing his eyes, he concentrated and searched for the young lady. Within minutes, he found her at the Ishida's residence. That was definitely troublesome. Shirosaki swallowed hard and sadly spoke up.

"At the Ishida's."

The remaining members had all been too astounded to make much movement. Haschwalth and Bazzard stupefied out of their minds by knowing how little it took for Shirosaki to locate Lady Masaki when they took months to find nothing. The two had also been surprised the Ishida's did nothing to properly dress the little lady's wounds. For Quincies, the smallest of scrapes caused by a Hollow, meant either loss of their pure bloodline or even death.

Ossan was a completely different story. He was deadly serious and very upset. He wondered why Soken Ishida did not tend to the young girl after the event. He was sure Ryuken had seen the whole ordeal and must have reported it to his father… Unless, he did not…

The mere thought sent chills down his spine. If Masaki had not been treated… it meant certain death… Even more so considering how long ago the incident occurred.

 _'For crying out loud! I should have returned and double checked she had been healed properly. How could I have allowed myself any rest before confirming her well-being?'_

Further assessment and self-reproaching were broken-off by a beeping sound coming forth from the device and the pensive voice of the invisible participant.

"Oh my… Seems like the most valuable chess piece has just arrived. I will go and collect her at once and prepare for an extensive operation. Considering her current circumstances, I'd recommend you to sit this one down."

There was no way to react to the outrageous request as Shirosaki did not give anyone the time to even consider such a choice.

"Like hell we will! You expect us to stay put and do nothing when we can help?! Forget it! We'll see you at the Shoten in a few minutes. Don't do anything to her until we get there."

His tone left no room for manoeuvre and a not-so-happy shopkeeper had to accept the settled terms. Needless to say, he quickly consented and disconnected the call to go and get the little lady. His departure left behind an unsettled Monarch, two confused officers and a displeased Hybrid. Seeing as none made a sound, said albino faced the party with a defiant look.

"Look, we are not going to settle everything in one bloody day. The already established goals are rather delicate and will require patience. We already know which our next steps are. On top of that, we are in the lead. Soren does not know anything about us, while we already have a pretty good idea of what his upcoming moves will be like. Hell, he doesn't even know I've been alive this whole time, let alone about his Majesty here. This is an advantage we must retain at all costs. With our absence, it will become even easier. The Emperor and I will enter Soul Society and enroll at the Shinigami Academy. In doing so, we can closely monitor what goes on from the perspective of the Shinigami. We can definitely hinder Soren's plans, especially since we know both his intentions and who his affiliates are. If in the process we mess-up with the strategy of yet another power-hungry monster, well, all the better."

The annoyed rant took most of Shirosaki's pent-up anxiety out. Simultaneously, it brought the three out of their frozen states. The Quincy King was, naturally, the first to act out and reaffirm the needed.

"I agree with Shirosaki. Haschwalth, I do not want to put more pressure than necessary on your shoulders, however, I will tell you right here and right now, our best chances of success lie in your capability to infiltrate the enemy's lines. If at all possible, find a way to become closer to Soren. Should you need Masaki's reiatsu for the task, let me know and I will personally give you bits and pieces of her energy. Do everything you can to keep him as far away from Karakura and Narukishi as possible. He is already under the impression she is in a remote city with minimal Hollow activities. Karakura and Narukishi are not the biggest cities in Japan but thanks to the settlement of the Jureichi they are and will overflowing with Hollows."

He gazed into arctic blue eyes, indirectly pleading Haschwalth to stay safe and be careful. There was no need for words after all. Both males had shared quite the past together and could easily read each other's unspoken requests. A nod and a barely visible playful grin was his response. Perfect! With that out of the way, he faced the lost Bazzard Black.

"Bazzard Black, keep an extra set of eyes open for any imminent threats. Make sure you don't fall into the category of 'suspects'. At any given moment Soren could try to put the blame on anyone for his failed attempts of capturing Masaki. When that happens, he might surmise you have something to do with the case. I have no doubts you can poke the Sternritters in the right places and distinguish the loyal from fakes. Still, keep in mind PePe has a very troublesome sphere and can use it to peg you as a traitor in the eyes of the Regent. You cannot switch sides that easily. Unfortunately, I am positive Hubert continues to hold something against you and will not even attempt to get you on their side. It would be utterly unimaginable if you suddenly changed your opinion. The only way for you to infiltrate their ranks is if Haschwalth gets you in. Everyone knows that you would follow Haschwalth to the ends of the Earth if he asked you. Use that as your weapon."

Bazz lowered his head taking the information and analyzing it to the best of his capacities. After a few seconds, he met those reddish-brown eyes and nodded in agreement. The Emperor was, of course, completely right. On Haschwalth's request, he truly would go to Hell and back, no questions asked. Thinking with a clear head, his task will be no walk in the park. Even so, he will do his best. Anything to pester Soren and overthrow him was good enough in his books.

Seeing everyone was satisfied and appeased, Shirosaki focused on opening a Garganta. He could feel Masaki's, Urahara's and Tessai-san's reiatsu at the store. There were two more added in the mix… the young Ishida and of someone unfamiliar. Must be the 'chess piece' Getabōshi mentioned. He wondered whom it may be… There was not enough time to process the interesting detail as Ossan approached him and entered the Garganta. Not wanting to fall behind, he too stepped right into the void… their destination… the Shoten.

* * *

After the erratic occurrences from the previous night, Ryuken had been more than satisfied that the following day had been uneventful. In the morning, he woke up, had his whole morning routine and went to school just like any other day. He realized Masaki was late only when he sat at his seat in class while waiting for class. Most likely, he would have missed that detail had he not seen her run into the school grounds moments prior to the first bell.

He felt guilty. After what happened, he should have checked on her… made sure she was fine and awake. Feeling like the worst cousin in the world, he mentally chastised himself until classes started. During the first lecture, he realized it was pointless to scold himself to a headache. The solution was simple, he would have to swallow his pride and properly express his regret to Masaki. He swore to apologize for his inconsideration as well as his attempt to stop her from doing what she believed was right. The second part would be hard but was much better than to linger on negative aspects.

Coming to those conclusions did alleviate the burden he sensed on his shoulders. Simultaneously, perhaps, the act would give him the chance to properly justify his behavior. Though, recently he had been a little lost when it came to his emotions.

Ever since Masaki entered the house, she brought a change. So far, he liked it, since it appeared to be for the better. The staff were much more relaxed and for the first time in forever, the mansion seemed warmer.

There was still the problem between his parents yet he had the impression it was not weighting as much as it did before. Thanks to Masaki, even the quiet and shy Katagiri started to glow in a new light.

Mother had been so reclusive lately. She was trying really hard but he could tell she suffered. His father should really spend more time at home rather than God knows where. He wished more than once for the two to sit down and properly talk to one another.

 _'Mother should open up her heart and voice her loneliness rather than wait for Father to figure it out on his own. At the end of the day, Father was never the perceptive one. She should know better by now. He too, though… he should really tell us where he goes or what he does. Instead he disappears leaving little to no data. So troublesome the both of them.'_

Those were his thoughts since a day or so ago. Ever since Father came out of nowhere with the Emperor, the Hollow… Shirosaki and those other clowns, strange things were popping up and about. On top of that, he chose that moment to disappear somewhere. As per his mother, the House Lord was training… but for what?

Worst of all, when they could have used his help and strength, he was missing. That Hollow had been terrifying. Its raw power surpassed anything he had ever seen. Its speed too, had been surprising, along with its might… a truly frightening opponent. And still, Masaki went after it to save a Shinigami.

If only yesterday never happened. He dreaded the thought of what could happen should his mother find out about last night's fight. Masaki had put a lot on the line for the sake of helping that Shinigami. All Quincy teachings stated very clearly that Shinigami should be avoided at all costs, for they brought naught but death.

School came and passed. Soon, too soon, it was time to return home. At least he did not have any extracurricular activities after classes. That was a relief. The sooner he could ask Masaki for forgiveness the better. Once at the schools' gates, he looked around for the bubbly girl only to realize she was nowhere in sight.

He soon saw one of the many students who was into gossip and indifferently asked if she knew Masaki's whereabouts. He pointedly ignored the giggles and pokes at his 'ice-cold' status being melted by the newcomer. Apparently, her classroom was not finished for the day.

First years had an additional History lecture. Boy, was he happy to be a senior. He remembered well that History teacher. The lady was a bottomless well of information and knowledge. But man, she could talk about the same subject eternally. It was not unusual for her final class to extend way past the norm. In fact, more often than not, her rants could go on until the school day ended. Basically, until the very last bell of the day rang out.

Glancing at the schools' entrance clock, he concluded it would be pointless to wait for Masaki. Considering the reputation of the History lecturer, she was stuck there for at least another hour. But, it was likely the unfortunate first years will be there another hour and forty-five minutes, give or take ten minutes.

Exhaling quietly, he thanked the renowned female scandalmonger and made his way to his place. Unsurprisingly, Katagiri was lurking in the shadows and following right behind him. What did strike him, was her crestfallen posture. That was rare. She was normally quiet and inconspicuous but not in this manner.

 _'Maybe something happened? Could it be that Mother took the burnt of her frustrations out on her? I hope not. She is a sweet girl and doesn't deserve such treatment. Guess I'll have to talk some sense into Mother for everyone's well-being.'_

Having reached home, he swiftly went to meet his mother, only to find she had locked herself in her study. He knew from past experiences there was no way of getting her out of there whenever she was that 'inaccessible'. She could only get mad at whomever was crazy enough to disturb her at that point. In view of his desire to placate her, he temporarily retreated.

Once in his room on the second floor, he quickly immersed himself in schoolwork. He combined homework and strategic thoughts on how to cheer and sooth his mother's anguish. He may not have seen her face-to-face but the feel in the air was a dead giveaway of her mood.

Several hours passed in a blur. Amidst his planning he finally sensed his mother leaving the studio and making her way to the entrance. Composing himself and deciding on a calm approach he left his room to meet her halfway through the house. He was momentarily stunned when he heard a cheerful "I'm home."

With a smooth turn and look at the entrance door, he saw a joyful Masaki. Her presence was like a balm for the soul and without delay he was about to give her a warm "Welcome back, Masa…"

His greeting was interrupted by a dismayed exclamation of "Masaki-san."

Just looking at his mothers' imposing and cold attitude made him realize something was wrong. Very wrong. The unsuspecting girl naively saluted his mother. Even now, the young lady was trying to indirectly bring joy to everyone around her.

"Aunty! I just came back!"

The lack of a response in his mother scared him. Just what was going on? His unspoken question was shortly answered.

"We need to talk. Last night… You saved a Shinigami and fought a Hollow, didn't you?"

Why did the query sound more like a statement rather than an inquiry? Even better, how did she find out? Something clicked in the back of his mind. Katagiri! This would explain her unusual behavior.

Masaki seemed to have realized just how bad the situation was, for she tried to get away with it.

"Eh? Oh, no… I didn't do anything of the sorts…"

Shoot! He knew that gaze. His mother was not convinced. Doing the first thing that came to mind, he rushed in the direction of Katagiri. The only way to quench his mother's fury would be for Katagiri to negate the whole ordeal. Settling on that idea, he ran. Nonetheless, he could hear his mother's angered tone.

"I have proof, lying will only worsen your position. Why didn't you say anything? Moreover… Why do it in the first place? Do you not find it disgraceful?! Do you not feel ashamed?! How could you?! Breaking Quincy rules while living under our roof?!"

There was probably more to it but he couldn't hear much more since he made it to the kitchen and faced Katagiri. Grabbing her right hand and pushing her against the nearest wall he failed to control his own temper.

"Why did you tell mother!? Last night I told you 'there were no issues'! So why?!"

His ragging furry scared Katagiri to the bone, he could see it on her face. Yet the need to know why she betrayed his trust was winning over his better judgment. It took less than a second for the rebut and when he got it, it left him speechless.

"But there was an issue!"

Never had he seen Katagiri that agitated. It confused him to no end, easily confirmed by his lost question.

"What?"

Having gathered the courage needed to face her master, Katagiri went ahead and disclosed her motives.

"Masaki-sama was wounded by the Hollow's attack! If she isn't cured by the House Lord or Lady with the original Quincy procedure… the future Quincy blood of the Ishida family might get spoiled!"

Katagiri was outright desperate. He tone was higher than ever. Now and then he could see remorse, regret and outright sorrow. Not thinking properly, he attempted to argue back. Still, his tone was lacking the previous fire, too stunned to yell.

"For such a reason…!"

His words must have hit a nerve, as Katagiri seemed to snap even more.

" _'For such a reason?'_ Isn't that exactly everything?! Young Master, you said it yourself… Your marriage with Masaki-sama is for the future of Quincies…"

She was absolutely right. He had said something like that. But even so, he did not want to lose the girl who brought forth so much positivism in the normally cold house. At the same time, he couldn't stay angry at Katagiri. She had done what she believed was correct. The exact same the reason he had wanted to apologize to Masaki. Though, this was slightly different, for he felt deceived by the only person he had ever trusted.

Mentally swearing up a storm he turned and ran back to the staircase to confront his mother. Never having realized one of his curses passed through his lips, leaving a shocked Katagiri behind.

"Mother! Wait mother!"

He barely stopped at the handrail, had he gone any faster, he could have gone overboard and fall. Thankfully, none took notice of that tiny fact. Even so, his screaming did catch the attention of both females on the lower floor. Deciding to play the bad guy, he attempted to take the blame on himself.

"Masaki wasn't responsible for that. She was…"

The clever girl did see through his lie even before he could finish attributing the misdeed as his request, for she immediately jumped in on the conversation, breaking his sentence halfway-through.

"It's ok Ryu-chan! I'm…"

Whatever she had meant to say was lost in space, as the young lady fell unconscious. Else was too astounded to move, while Ryuken dashed down the stairs towards the blacked-out figure on the floor, calling out her name, hoping against all odds, she would respond.

"Masaki! What's going on?! Do you feel sick!?"

Yielding no results, he continued calling her name and turning her around. The sight in front of his eyes and those of his mother was downright terrifying.

"This is…"

His thought was concluded by his mother, who was lost and disbelieving just as much as Ryuken himself.

"What is this… a Hollow hole?"

Acting on impulse Ryuken collected Masaki bridal style, not noticing his mother taking a device from her skirt. He would have been already out the door had he not heard his mother's concerned voice.

"What are you trying to do Ryuken?"

Not daring to glance at his mother, he asked the first thing that came to mind.

"Where is father?"

He knew the question touched a sore spot but at that moment he couldn't be bothered to be discreet or delicate. The hurt he caused his mother was palpable and he knew then he was an awful son.

"I… I don't know. I'm trying to get in touch with him. Wait here."

There was no time to wait. Something needed to be done right away. The hole was just getting bigger and bigger. Without second thought he bolted. Where to? He had no idea. The only thing he knew was that he had to make haste. Screams of his frantic mother followed him a long way.

"RYUKEN! WAIT! If you stay with that 'thing' you too could be in danger! Stop! Come back! Please Ryuken! Come back!"

It was pointless. Due to the old injury, Else was well aware she could not sprint. Even so, she begged and crying in desperation, trying to get through to her son. Her efforts lost in translation, she went inside the house and straight for the kitchens. She had to at least sent back-up. The sooner the better. If Masaki had developed a Hollow hole from last night's injury, it was already too late to save the girl. Nevertheless, she could and would save her only child, even at the cost of being hated for the rest of her life.

Meanwhile, Ryuken was running like the wind. Trying to sense any other Quincy reiatsu. His mind racing from one thought to the other.

 _'What is this…? What's this thing like a Hollow's hole? Why is she suffering so much? Why…? Why didn't I stop her back then? I should have tried harder! Why didn't I join the fight and helped her? Why…?'_

Panic! For the first time in his life, Ryuken felt panic. What was worse, he had absolutely no idea he was going through such an emotion. That accompanied by the endless unanswered queries were the reason he did not sense the humongous Hollow coming right at them.

By the time he took notice of the beast, it was too late. There was no time to call forth his bow, no time to lay Masaki down and deal with the Hollow. Could it be that they would end up eaten by a monster? Just as he was picturing their end, a blue flash passed near him and hit the Hollow straight on the face, cutting it in two and disintegrating it on the spot.

"Phew… That was close and really bad, you know. Ma, ma. No need to thank me! I don't want to be praised by men! Now if you were a girl, that would be totally different."

That voice. He knew it from somewhere… He soon locked eyes with happy brown. IT was the Shinigami from last night. The same one Masaki had helped and the one to cause this mess.

"You…!"

Ryuken may have known and seen the Shinigami. Obviously, back then, the Shinigami had not paid attention to his surroundings and utterly missed sensing Katagiri and himself around. That much was easily deduced by the confusion written across his face.

"Hm? What?"

As he turned to meet his head on, so did Masaki and her condition become visible to the Shinigami. At least the Shinigami had the common sense to be worried.

"What the…? Wait let me see her! She is…"

As the other approached, Ryuken's annoyance reached new heights. This man was responsible for Masaki's ailment. It was this Shinigami's fault! All the pent-up anger and rage he felt toward himself and the male before him came spilling out like lava from an active volcano.

"Don't touch her! Masaki… why do you think she is like this…? It's because she protected you! Even though it's against Quincy laws… she protected you a Shinigami… in the process, she got wounded… Why does she have to go through this!"

Seems like his rant made the other realize his errors, for the inquiry that came out from the shocked Shinigami was a spot-on telltale.

"Is it because of the injury she suffered last night…?"

Incredulity and wrath seeped out of Ryuken in a dangerous wave.

"This was made by a Hollow. What else do you think it could be!? I am so going to…"

Whatever he might have said, whichever bloody threats he could have thrown at the Shinigami were sent to an early grave. The reason being the sound of a third voice. Serious and intelligent. A powerful combo, which made him pause.

"Please both of you stop this instant."

The Shinigami was looking at someone behind Ryuken with an astounded expression. Spinning his head around for the millionth time, Ryuken was met with a man in green and a green and white stripped hat. He recognized this character. It was one of the weird bunch of people that had accompanied the Quincy King. Before he could make sense of anything in particular, the unknown male spoke deadly calm with hints of urgency.

"There is no time to quarrel. You two! Come with me. I'll tell you the possible ways to save that girl."

Ryuken was praying the guy knew where his Majesty was. Perhaps the Emperor knew a cure for Masaki. At the end of the day, the blonde freak of nature did mention he would give them option in saving Masaki. That was all he wanted for now. He would ask questions later.

The Shinigami though, was another story. He appeared like one who saw a ghost. Considering his line of work, it should be under the job's description. That too, did make Ryuken wonder. But, for now, it was irrelevant. Masaki's life first, weird people later.

Nonetheless, the two were concerned enough for the girl's health that they followed the unknown person without making much of a fuss.

* * *

Somewhere in Soul Society…

Sunset was fast approaching and the day had been a very pleasant one. Especially for those working in the Tenth Division. A miracle perchance? The whole day there had been no issues or incidents between their Taichou and Fuku-Taichou.

The prodigy on the verge of achieving Bankai, Hitsugaya Toshiro was in the office finalizing a few documents. For a change, his Taichou had not left much to be done. He was well aware of the joined task with Squads Five and Six, thus, he was pleasantly surprised Shiba-Taichou did most of the required assignment. A couple forgotten files were a small price to pay.

Now if Matsumoto-Fuku-Taichou got her pile of work done, he would memorize the day as a historic even for their division. That was, regretfully, not the case. He could already hear the air-headed Fuku-Taichou calling for their Taichou.

"Taichou! Taichou! I have to go to the Dango shop for a last-minute mission. Can I leave these to you?"

She really lacked tact. Apparently, she didn't even realize their Taichou had been gone for a while now. How could she not notice his lack of reiatsu? It was beyond poor Hitsugaya's comprehension. Oh… she must have figured it out, for she started looking through the entire office.

He would have laughed. Really, he would have. He only refrained form poking fun at the hopeless Fuku-Taichou for fear of being the one to end the stack of papers she held in her left hand. Must be at least a dozen reports. Nope. He was not a masochist.

Soon enough, the Fuku-Taichou found a piece of paper addressed to her. Taking it up, she started reading:

 _'To Rangiku, I'm going to the Human World! Come up with a good excuse to tell to the Sōtaichō for me! Signed: Isshin'_

 _'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'_ oh how right that one line rang in his ears. Or so he was trying to convince himself, for Matsumoto's rage could be heard loud and clear across half Seireitei.

"What… What the Hell! Just because he wasn't punished once, he now thinks he can visit the World of the Living whenever he wants?! He never learns! How can he take his job so lightly!?"

In her furry, she crumpled the innocent note and threw it at the nearest flat surface with enough force to put a dent in the unfortunate wall. Still, her words rubbed little Hitsugaya in the wrong way. She was one to talk. Didn't she just try to dump tons of work on the Taichou to go shopping?

Playing the wise card. Hitsugaya stayed silent and quietly left the barracks. He had better things to do than to listen to a mad-woman. Somehow, he found that training was very appealing. With any luck, he would master Bankai before the Sōtaichō found Shiba-Taichou and disciplined him for breaking the rules, again.

* * *

Dark, quiet, lonely. Masaki was having a hard time opening her eyes. Though, even should she be able to open them, she would see nothing.

The girl could feel herself fall deeper and deeper into a silent hole. So many negative emotions, so much solitude. It was hard to breathe and chilly. So why? Why wasn't she afraid? Ah… the answer was so simple.

She could sense it in her heart… she knew… someone was looking for her… someone was going to save her. Finally, able to open her eyes, she was met with a monstrous sight. From the bottomless void a white masked figure was slowly forming. Judging by the direction in which she was heading, she would be swallowed by the gaping maw of the unknown's creature. She was oh so tired. Closing her eyes, she waited for that _'someone'_ to come and help her out.

* * *

Shiba Isshin had seen many shops in his lifetime. Yet none could hold a candle to the candy-store he found himself in. The whole place screamed _suspicious_! Not that he could linger on that idea as the blonde being spoke with the same grave tone.

"I've been researching the condition the little lady has for about a hundred years now."

Based on the reaction of the youngster next to him, who was still holding the injured girl, the kid must have been really stupefied.

"A hundred years?!"

Meh, that at least was proof that the man he was dealing with was no ordinary human. He had his doubts, but wanted concrete indications before accusing the other.

"Well, someone here ages gracefully. Just who are you?"

It unnerved him that the male was leading them around the shop without looking in their direction.

"My name is Urahara Kisuke. I am an ex-Shinigami. I was banished a long time ago."

Shoot! So, it was really him! He had heard of the crazy scientist and his experiments.

"Urahara Kisuke… you are…"

Isshin was interrupted yet again, by the terrified boy and his pleas for help.

"I don't care who the hell you are! You can save Masaki, right?! That's all I care about at the moment. Make her go back to how she was!"

He too was ready to kick some sense in the ex-colleague. That is, until Urahara spoke again.

"I never said I can make her go back the way she was."

To say the two were shocked, was an understatement. But it was even more so true for the one holding the slowly dying girl.

"What…"

"I only said I will give you possibilities to save her life. Let me be frank. Masaki will never be the same."

They reached a room with a futon, a window, a piece of luggage and an unknown object covered by a white blanket. Gesturing at the confused and disheartened boy, the ex-Shinigami gave them a pointed look and started his instructions.

"Lay her here. The condition she has is called 'Hollowfication'. That means inserting a Hollow's soul into a regular soul and breaking the boundary between the two in an attempt to make the normal soul more powerful. Originally, this method was meant to be used on Shinigami to strengthen them but the technology back then was somewhat lacking. It wasn't able to fully control it. What you see before your eyes is the use of such an out-of-hand technique on a Quincy… a soul who should have never been subjected to such treatment."

The more he learned about the case, the more he was convinced that chances of saving the girls life were nonexistent. The youngster must have come to a similar conclusion, for he noticeably paled. Even so, the kid had enough sense to follow the given instruction and conversation.

"Out-of-hand… Uncontrollable… But doesn't that mean we can't save her?"

The hard glance thrown in their direction by the blonde was truly an intimidating sight to behold.

"No. We can't return her the way she was. However, we can save her life."

Uh-oh! If he was correct, this guy was a remarkable scientist and when such people pause to take a breath, it always meant a long explanation of some sort.

"The process starts when the soul gets infected by the Hollow's soul. As the condition progresses, she original soul mixes with the Hollow's becoming a monster unable to reason. By the end of the procedure, not only the boundary these two souls, breaks, but also the one between the soul and everything around it. Regardless of its will, the soul will inevitable self-destruct. This is also known as 'Soul Suicide'."

Isshin was baffled. Was there really any way to save the girls' life? From Urahara's words, the process is already ongoing. So how could they save her?

"In my century-long research, I've found a way to prevent 'Soul Suicide'. To do so, we have to input something opposite of Hollowfication into the soul. Basically, a conflicting object would restore the balance and stop the destruction."

Isshin was trying hard to understand, but for him the explanation did not make any sense. Couldn't the guy be more direct and just straight to the point?

"I really don't get it…"

The ex-Shinigami turned his head from the two males and concentrated on the barely breathing girl. He soon started to talk again.

"For example: to stop Soul Suicide form happening to Hollowfied Shinigami, I created a vaccine using Quincy's arrows and human souls. But that was only to stop Soul Suicide, which, might I add, worked on a hundred percent of the cases. To save this girl's life, prevent Hollowfication and allow her to live as a normal human… this would all require a much stronger power. Something that would stay close to her until her death… something which would continuously block Hollowfication. In other words, a strong opposing power."

Isshin was even more lost than when the guy started. That was definitely not the case with the youngster, for he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Don't fuck around! There… there must be another way… There is no way anyone would…"

At least Urahara raised his head enough to stare down the poor boy. From what he could see, he was somehow connected to Masaki. Relatives maybe? Isshin was really hoping the little one was not her boyfriend. That would be messy.

"You are a sharp one. You understood quickly. I do sympathize. Still, this is not your choice to make. The decision… falls on none other than you Shiba Isshin."

Isshin was once again surprised. This time for multiple reasons. One: Masaki's life rested somehow in his hands. Second: he got a good look at those intelligent eyes. There was a myriad of sensations hidden in those obscured pools. He had to admit the hat was doing a good job of concealing their true colors and perhaps something more.

"Right here, I have a special Gigai here."

The irksome ex-Shinigami grabbed a hold of the white sheet removing it in one swipe. Huh? So, it was meant to keep a Gigai unseen. Before he could think of the implications, the blonde started another speech.

"This one is made from a human's soul. If you enter it you'll become a being between Shinigami and Human. The opposite of a Quincy is a Shinigami, just like the opposite of a Hollow is a Human. You get it, don't you. If you use this, you will become her polar opposite. It is all up to you. However, there are tons of side effects. While you're using this Gigai you won't be able to use your Shinigami powers. Not only that, you won't be able to even see Hollows. What's worse, once you enter it, you will most likely lose all your Shinigami powers and never return to being one again."

Judging from the dejected look on the kid's face, something was bothering him. With reason. Poor Isshin had no idea that the glasses-wearing male was having a mental breakdown with thoughts running rampant: _'Side effects? These are all demerits. Not a single positive outcome for someone like him! There is no way he will accept! Too many sacrifices… The price is way too high…'_

There was simply no time to deduce what the kid was thinking, for Urahara started his babbling all over again.

"To make this Gigai a perfect vaccine I will tie your soul with Reishi strings to hers and the Hollow's soul. It's an extremely strong technique. Therefore, as long as you are connected to both their souls you will not be able to leave the Gigai… that is until they both pass away… In other words…"

Sheesh! Did the guy really like the sound of his voice? For Isshin, that was already too much data. Not looking back, he crossed his hands to his torso and exclaimed:

"I get it! Alright! Let's do it!"

Well, his words at least stopped the rant. But the shock was not a good expression on the scientist.

"Are you sure?!"

In Isshin's opinion that was a stupid question which he pointed out with his next words.

"Are you deaf or something?! I said I'll do it so hurry up! Your explanations are too long. We are wasting time… In short, I must quit being a Shinigami and protect her for the rest of her life. I am ready to do that! Let's get to it!"

Isshin was really getting impatient. The longer they talked, the thinner was Masaki's chances of survival becoming. Apparently, he was the only one thinking rationally and wasn't that ironic.

"Just like that? You don't have any regrets?"

Isshin had not anticipated such an inquiry from Urahara. In his opinion it was supposed to be a question made by the young man who had carried Masaki all the way here.

"Well of course I do. I would lie if I said otherwise. But, so what? If I let the one who saved me die because of some stupid regrets… I would never be able to look at myself for the rest of my life."

From his peripheral vision, Isshin saw a defeated look cross the youngsters' face. What was that? For the hundredth time, he was left to make wild guesses as Urahara seemed to have been sated.

"I see… In that case come with me. I'll start the operation at once."

Moving forward in the direction of the Gigai, Isshin was ready to kiss his old life goodbye. As he moved his hand to touch it, his senses picked out an unusual reiatsu. No… It wasn't unusual, rather than unexpected. A Garganta was forming somewhere close by. What was even more amazing, was the fact that it was opening right in the middle of the room. Taking a fighting stance, he placed a hand on his Zanpakuto. Behind him, the nut-case and Masaki, in front of him to the right, the Quincy boy a bow and arrow already formed and waiting to be unleashed.

The void grew and emerging from it came two persons. Wait?! Persons?! Looking intensely at the two, he couldn't peg them as Hollows no matter how hard he tried. Actually, the pale, white-haired one with golden eyes and black sclera was definitely not human. A Vasto Lorde? No… it was much too humanoid even for a Vasto Lorde. An Arrancar? But where was his mask? Even better the Hollow hole? Ok the human-like attire could probably hide the hole, but his reiatsu then? Why did it feel human?

On the other hand, the other bigger male was anything but Hollow. There was no way the tall muscular male was Hollow. Could it be he tamed the beast and was somehow controlling it? Assessing the situation, he noticed the Quincy kid first lowered and then completely dispersed his weapon. Glancing behind him, he could tell Urahara was not bothered at all. The day he would be able to disregard such a phenomenon as the opening of a Garganta in his own home, would be the last day Isshin lived. Yet, how could the eccentric male look completely at ease?

Focusing on the Hollow-like male, Isshin saw absolutely no blood-thirst. In fact, it looked like it was sad. Those eerie eyes locked on Masaki's unmoving form. That couldn't be good, right? Swiftly though, the Hollow threw a deadly gaze at the person behind Isshin. An upset distorted baritone spoke with deathly intention.

"Getabōshi, do you really want me to kick your ass? Which part of don't do anything 'till we arrived did you not understand? Ma. It seems like we're barely in time."

For the first time, those unnatural eyes locked onto Isshins. The murderous aura somewhat receded.

"Yo, Shinigami. Step aside for a moment, will ya? The infection is spreading fast. Too fast."

To Isshin's horror, the Hollow was talking as though it knew what was going on. Still, that was not enough to make him move. On the contrary, his hold on Engetsu became even stronger. He did not unsheathe his trusty Zanpakuto, but he tried to convert with actions alone that he would. That in turn caused an exasperated sigh to leave the Hollow. Turning to the person he came with, it spoke again, civilly might he add.

"It's much worse than I thought. The infection has nearly reached her core. I won't be able to fully neutralize it. I can minimize the damage and make it easier. Since the Shinigami is here, I presume he is willing to become her anchor. Now that I think about it, Urahara might have come to the same conclusion and prepared a thingamajig or two for this precise reason."

So, the Hollow knew Urahara and what was going on with Masaki. Any doubts were thrown out the window by Urahara's confirmation.

"Precisely Shirosaki-san. Perceptive as ever, I see. Ah! Where are my manners. This gentleman here is Shiba Isshin and you already know the Quincy young man."

It was official, Urahara was a madman and so was Isshin for taking so long to realize it. None sane person would talk that amiably with a Hollow. True, he wasn't completely sure the being was a real Hollow. Still, he couldn't deny seeing the strangers come out of a Garganta. There was something spooky about the pale one. Not that his partner was any better. And those eyes… reddish-brown and resolute. It was fortunate the brown dulled the red tint, for if that was not the case they would resemble blood-flames.

"You are going off-topic, Urahara-san. Pleasantries can wait for later. Right now, we should focus on Masaki. Her soul is already on the verge of Soul Suicide. Shiba-san, I will ask you to stand down and let Shirosaki do what he can for her. I give you my word as a Quincy and as Masaki's guardian that he won't do anything wrong."

The tone was regal and radiated power in bulks. There was no way Isshin could refuse the man's request. His posture alone warranted respect, let alone the way he spoke. Besides, if he was Masaki's custodian, could he really deny him his wish? Just as he was about to step down, he gave one last accusing stare at the Hollow-like creature, forewarning it that there would be hell to pay should he hurt the little lady. He must have made his point across, for it gave an early explanation.

"Well, I am going to bite her… At ease Shinigami. All I will do is replace the Hollow's poison with mine. It is the only way to temporarily prevent Soul Suicide and it will make your upcoming task easier. Trust me, you don't want to face the demon inside her. Remember the monstrosity you fought yesterday? Consider the one she harbors a more primal version of the same. It knows nothing but hunger. Leave it alone for even a split second and it will devour her from within. With my Hollow side, she stands a chance of living normally. Compared to the average, it will be meek and won't put up much of a fight. As an added bonus, should it ever happen that the Reishi strings break down, it won't straight-out attack or destroy its host."

Isshin swallowed hard. Basically, this Hollowfication process made it so that a person had a Hollow inside their soul? He thought with his sacrifice it would go away. He then remembered Urahara's explanation… the Reishi strings would be attached to Masaki's soul as well as the Hollow's.

He hated to admit it, but this guy was right. He could fight the monster and win now, but what would happen should the Reishi string to the Hollow's soul break free before Masaki's? Would he stand a chance against such a terrifying opponent as a mere human? The answer was a big fat NO. Therefore, he consented. Though, he was sure his opinion wouldn't have mattered anyway.

The young Quincy was looking from one occupant of the room to the other, seemingly searching for a different solution.

"Then… there really isn't any other way?"

The imposing figure of the brow haired male, sent the youngster a regretful glance. Those orbs considerably softened compared to when he spoke to Isshin. Must be a Quincy versus Shinigami thing.

"I am sorry Ryuken-san. Even should I have access to all my powers, I wouldn't be able to completely remove the Hollow from her soul. A somewhat similar situation arose a long time ago. Although, it was a different case, the concept is the same. She needs to be balanced with a counterpart, one who will be able to stabilize and keep her safe for a long time. As it stands, Shiba-san here is the only one who can do it. Urahara-san may not look like much, but he is incredibly strong. Nonetheless, he has a different issue… Due to certain circumstances, he is unable to perform this delicate task himself."

Isshin was many things but he was no fool and knew there was more to the ordeal than what met his keen eyes. Urahara's astonished silence for one. The shopkeeper was hiding more than a single secret. The Gigai was already set-up and prepared before he even entered the shop, his connection with the unknown Quincy and weird Hollow. Most of all, Urahara's banishment was barely mentioned.

Back in Soul Society, Isshin had researched the case which involved the ex-Taichou of the Twelfth… Yes, he did it out of boredom and a healthy dose of curiosity. In the end, there wasn't much intel, let along evidence. Not that there could have been any laying around, especially since the Taichou and his test subjects vanished. The whole trial had been centered on the discovery of an **_ill_** 'Search and Rescue' squad at the Twelfth's division barracks.

Shaking his head to clear it of the messed-up memory, Isshin moved from his spot and decided to enter the Gigai before he changed his mind. Not like that would have happened anyway. He had already made his decision, consequences be damned!

He did see the resignation in the Quincy kid's eyes. It was a look which would haunt him for a while. In his eyes, Masaki's sickness was entirely his fault. To save her and stay close at hand was the least he could do to atone for his sin. On another note, he would have tons of time to spend along her and even more opportunities to get to know the vivacious girl. That alone, brought a small smile to his face, which faded the moment he entered the Gigai. Shifting around, he felt no different from a second ago in his soul form.

 _'Got to give it to the lunatic, he sure knows his trade.'_

He turned to face the sleeping girl, the Hollow was getting close to her. Ok, now he had the urge to grab his Zanpakuto and stop the creature from approaching. A firm hand on his shoulder, courtesy of the elder Quincy, stopped him in his tracks.

True to his words, the Hollow… Shirosaki softly bit Masaki's left hand. Even now, it was trying to be as gentle as possible. Isshin had to acknowledge the pale teen was not as bad as he first thought. And indeed, the hole in Masaki's chest ceased its growing rate.

Urahara prompted him to comfortably sit down next to Masaki and chased everyone else out of the room. He could tell that the two Quincy and Hollow were not pleased. Heh… out of the three, he would have never guessed the pale one would sulk like a baby. The long face and silent mumbling did lighten to mood considerably. Huh? Could that have been the reason? Nah… The Hollow may not be harmful but it was improbable he was this considerable. Not after having had to openly challenge a Shinigami to get to a dying Quincy… Ok fine! Maybe he was wrong again. Though only time and solid proof would appease Isshin's judgement.

"Isshin-san… to give you a head-up. When I start the operation, you will enter Masaki-san's Inner World. Let me be blunt. I have absolutely no idea what it will look like. Your job is to roam around until you find her and the Hollow's reiatsu. Feel free to destroy the Hollow. As you have already heard, it will not die per se, but will disappear to the deepest recesses of her soul and subconscious. Do this and the Reishi connection can be fully established. Good luck."

Those were the last words Isshin heard before he felt a pull and the world went dark.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism. Yay! xD_

Someone / Strawberry (Guest) – glad you like the idea of them going to the Shinigami school. I confess, I was having a hard time writing that part, because I was laughing so hard at the idea of those two in the white and blue uniform xD

I predict lots of fun times ahead what with a Quincy and a Hollow in the lions' den. Ah, poor Yamamoto, if only he knew. By the way, you usually review as Strawberry (Guest). Yes, yes, yes! You are absolutely right! Little Ichi will be coming soon! X3

Ups! Speaking of a chibi protector, I'll have to apologize in advance to everyone when the time is right. I will have to pull a few stunts which will not make me proud, not in the least.

Hope you all enjoyed a rewritten past between Bazz and Jugo in chapter 29. Poor chibi Haschwalth in the original story-line. He was so sure Bazz was his friend and that the two together would take Juhabach down. Seeing all the pent-up anger, disappointment and jealousy in Bazzard's eyes must have been a real bummer.

No matter how much Bazz said they would do the deed together, there was a part of him which made him believe Jugo wouldn't be capable. And when the time came for the Second in Command to be chosen, Jugram was selected. The one whom he believed to have no talent was chosen instead of him the gifted Bazzard. Yeah, that must have hurt. Definitely not their best moments. I think it was then that Haschwalth lost any belief in friendship, until Uryū came along. That's why it did not happen here xD

I can have them bicker, but be completely at odds with each other… never x3

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or errors, please let me know. I am the writer and spellcheck person all in one. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD_

 _Until next time, have an amazing day/night ahead :D_


	31. Chapter 31

_Hello again everyone! :)_

 _Please say hi to Chapter XXXI_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings all as per usual:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

This is it people! A star is born!

Please enjoy :D

* * *

 _Chapter XXXI_

* * *

When Masaki next opened her eyes, she was hoping to see any familiar scene. Her home, family, school, friends or even the Ishida's and their place. Alas, that was not to be the case, for she was met by none other than the terrifying Hollow's head she last saw. Compared to a little while ago, it was dangerously close and ready to devour.

Ok, now she was getting preoccupied. There was a little voice in the back of her head telling her everything would be fine… yet for whichever reason, she had her doubts. She had not expected to die so young. Judging by those sharp teeth, it was unavoidable. Desperate try to stop the inevitable, she attempted to call forth her bow and arrows.

To her distress, nothing happened. Why couldn't she make her weapon? What was blocking her powers? Shoot! She was already near the open mouth… in a matter of seconds she would be no more…

As the jaws descended on her unprotected frame, something weird occurred. A second cranium formed out of nowhere and charged at the one that had been ready to make a meal out of her. A scuffle ensured, where the two heads collided and tried to chew each other off…? Odd and more than a little disgusting… but at least the two things had completely forgotten about Masaki or so she hoped.

The altercation soon ended with the newcomer being the victor. The drifting monstrosity faced her head-on… pun totally intended… and just floated there, doing nothing. It was just staring at her as though it had never seen anything beforehand. There they were, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by darkness, neither daring to make a move.

The last notion was quickly cast-off, when the humongous head started opening its maw all over again.

Masaki was sure, that was it. She resigned herself to her fate, never noticing she was not moving forward into the mouth of the beast, nor that the creature was merely trying to communicate. She shut her eyes in fear and crossed her hands to her front, hoping she would at least be spared of the gruesome sight and hopefully the pain.

Neither came, however, as a strong and gentle arm enclosed around her waist making her left side collide with someone's torso. To say it was sudden and unexpected, would be a grave understatement. It shocked her to the bones and made her open her eyes instantly.

Turning her head towards her savior, she was met with a familiar person. Ha! It was the Shinigami from the other night! The Shinigami must have found her and came to help her out… that was nice… he didn't have to.

Two sets of brown eyes met quickly and the kind smile on the Shinigami's face chased all her worries away like petals in the wind.

"Yo! I came to save you."

It was fortunate the other was holding he tight, otherwise she may have melted like ice-cream on a summer day. Even better, his head turned forward to gaze at the Hollow.

"Oi, there mister Hollow. You know, now that I am here, I won't let you lay a finger on her!"

The Hollow made a light growling noise in the back of its throat as if saying it wasn't funny. The Shinigami must have caught on, if his next sentences made any sense.

"What's that face for? Do you think it's weird for me to talk about fingers when you only have a levitating head? Alright, fine I confess, it may have been a poor choice of words. Not that you'll get the chance for a comeback."

Another rumble was all the Shinigami allowed before he took his already unsheathed sword and made a slashing move in the direction of the large head. Just when did he pull out that sword? Was it there the whole time? Did he create it out of Reishi like Quincies? Then why wasn't she able to use her skills?

Vaguely lost in unanswered questions, she nearly missed the words which spelled the Hollow's demise.

"Getsuga Tenshou!"

Wow that was awesome! The attack was much cooler than a single arrow. It was huge and thick and warm and… ok she may have to reconsider her words play. It started to sound awkwardly hot. Anyway, the point is, it was an amazingly powerful attack made out from blue reiatsu. The raw strength behind the assault… overwhelming. Confidence and seriousness radiated from the Shinigami in blazing flames.

Not surprisingly, without the possibility to dodge or move out of the way, the onslaught hit the Hollow straight on, cutting it in half and disintegrating it on sight. With the danger out of the way, Masaki finally relaxed enough to start her own barrage of queries.

"AH! You're the Shinigami from the whole incident!"

Her sudden movements caught the Shinigami off-guard. The poor sap… his efforts to keep the young girl still were to no avail. Her shifting sure did make the job that considerably more difficult.

"Hold… Hold on a second!"

Ignoring the stutter and the cute embarrassed expression, Masaki pressed on.

"Great! I wanted to see you again! I've been meaning to ask you a few things. Did they get angry at you when you got back to Soul Society? Wait, no, are you ok?! Are your wounds fully healed?!"

The hapless Shinigami barely had enough time to let go of the girl and watch her in bewilderment. He made it his mission not to glance anywhere below the neck. Focusing as much as he could, he put a stop to Masaki's rambling with a few good points.

"Stop! Just wait a minute! A woman in her birthday suit should not be acting so casually!"

Masaki was so ecstatic she turned a deaf ear to the unsuccessful scolding and energetically jumped with her hands high in the air, demanding answers from the Shinigami

"I want to know your name. Please tell me!"

Isshin never got the chance to respond, since at that precise moment he sensed a tug at his back and for a moment, he was engulfed in darkness. As soon as his vision returned he saw Masaki laying motionlessly on the futon she had been placed upon. Her breathing steady, albeit she showed every sign of having ran a marathon.

Not that he himself was in any better shape. He could feel the sweat all over his new body. Speaking of the new shell… it must have suddenly gained extra weight, for it was rather heavy. All his movements were sluggish at best. He would have to assume he lost all his powers and was actually moving exactly like a human.

Dead, dear. It will take some time to adjust to everything. Speaking of adaptations, he'd have to check with Urahara Kisuke what to do next. Hopefully everything went well and his Getsuga did not cause more trouble than good. His worries were of no value as the extravagant male made a cheerful noise right behind him. The sound startled Isshin to the bone and made him jerk around so quickly, he was sure his whole figure would suffer from whiplash for a whole month.

"Soul unification complete! Your souls are officially tied. She is going to be perfectly fine now. She is not in mortal danger."

The happy-go tone and the two victory signs were like a balm to Isshin's turbulent soul. Involuntarily, Isshin closed his eyes and resumed his previous position of standing next to the sleeping girl. With the heavy weight removed and the lethargic feel of the Gigai he occupied, he slumped his shoulders repeatedly chanting over and over again.

"I see… that's good… that's a really great…"

He did not get the opportunity to be at ease for long, mind you, as Masaki took that moment to sleepily murmur.

"He-he-he… he threw a fit because he saw my boobies."

With that said, the temperature in the room went considerably out of charts. Unable to resist any further, Urahara pulled his famous paper fan, covering his astonishment and speechlessness. He was happy he had asked the Quincy King and Shirosaki-san to wait outside until after the surgery. He dreaded to even consider what the outcome would have been, should Kurosaki-sama have heard Masaki's last statement.

Isshin was simultaneously flabbergasted and annoyed which he promptly displayed by giving Masaki a light punch to the head. Nothing too hard but good enough to make a point. He proceeded to grind the enclosed fist on her forehead while growling back.

"Why are you still playing that scenario in your head? Even worse, you appear like you enjoyed and are still relishing in watching me squirm."

Not easily discouraged, Masaki played along, pretending to be hurt both physically and emotionally.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark… aw… you're no fun."

A knock on the door brought all three occupants back to the present and their ongoing situation. Not waiting for an invitation, the commanding presence of the elder Quincy made his entrance. Without delay, he made his way to the youngest member, worry firmly etched on his wise features. There was no need to express his thoughts as Masaki read through them with little efforts.

"I'm fine. Thank you. He-he, sorry for scaring you."

At least she did have the common sense to be apologetic and sheepish. Shaking his head in disbelief with a touch of exasperation, the impressive man merely got down to Masaki's eye level and gave her a firm one-armed hug. Not expecting the embrace, Masaki took several seconds before she responded in kind, only she used both her hands.

From the doorway, Shirosaki was watching the current events. Ossan was sure giving his best in not showing just how concerned he had been. Although, everything was very clear if one was to just take a proper look at his left hand. It was squeezed in a tight fist, so much so that it was a miracle he did not cut open his palm. Meh, he'd let it slide for now. After all, it was the reincarnation of his daughter and King's mother therefore, Shirosaki would give him some slack.

The Shinigami watched the exchange carefully. There were no lies nor mistakes, the dangerous looking man was truly related to Masaki. It was written all over his aura. Now that wouldn't bother him much but the Hollow's attendance was leaving much to be desired. He was still trying to figure out why it helped them? Yes, the bite stopped the hole on Masaki's chest from growing even bigger and the beast he had faced within Masaki's soul had been the most docile creature he had ever seen. That did not answer his questions though and before he could stop himself the inquiry came out.

"Why did you offer to help?"

The interrogation request for an answer came out of the blue and reminded everyone of the fact that Shirosaki was nearby. None, though, considered him a threat since they were familiar with the pale Hybrid. Sending his most chilling demonic grin at the Shinigami, he replied in an upbeat manner.

"What's the matter Shinigami? Afraid, are we? He-he. Can't blame you for that, I can be a downright spine-chilling, terrifying monster when provoked. Chill! I'm not in the mood. Besides, Ossan here would try to beat me senseless if I don't behave. Thus, at the moment, you're fine. Also, even though I am partly Hollow, I do care about Masaki-chan. It was the least I could do for her."

It was official, any semblance of possessing a mind were utterly destroyed by those words. Isshin was having a hard time processing the given info. Though, there were several things he concluded from that little chat.

First, the Hollow was strong. It didn't say that he would be hurt until he lost consciousness. Instead he said, the big Quincy male would 'attempt' to do it. Second, the hell did the creature mean by saying he was 'part-Hollow'? It's not like you can take it as a part-time job. You either are or are not a Hollow. Third… why couldn't he detect such an obvious false statement. There was no way the pale _thing_ was capable of feelings, let alone those which were aimed at others. Or could it?

With his mind fuming, he neglected to notice Urahara's visibly relaxed posture. Moving his fan up and down, he chastised the Hollow in a playful banter.

"Ma, ma Shirosaki-san. Your endeavors to sound intimidating are long gone. May I suggest for the future not to actively assist ladies in distress when you want to impersonate the bad guy? You totally ruin the game."

Rolling his eyes at the other's antics, Shirosaki shrugged with his shoulders before continuing.

"Meh. No matter what I do or how, it won't stop people from thinking me a monster on sight. Trust me, it gets old in less then a decade. Consequently, instead of behaving like the good guy, I pretend to be the antihero. Berate me all you want, yet, in all of my lifetime, this method has yet to bore me."

Masaki's giggles made everyone turn in her direction. And, before anyone could react, she jumped out of the futon and ran to hug Shirosaki around the waist. Never ceasing her chuckling, she proceeded to astonish everyone around her.

"Aw… I missed you too Shirosaki-san."

The Hollow's demeanor made a 180-degree change. The manic grin was gone and replaced by a kind smile, which was not eating his whole face. The firm posture, became lax and the air around him, became more tranquil. He proceeded to put his left hand to Masaki's back, while he used the right to gently pat her on the head.

"There, there. I missed you too squirt. Sorry we couldn't come visit you. These past few days have been hectic at best. How is school? Did you make tons of friends already? I bet everyone is flocking around you. Probably have a whole lot of admirers too."

The last sentence had an added hint of teasing which made Masaki lightly blush. Never before had she thought about possible love candidates and here she was falling hard for a Shinigami of all people. Would Shirosaki's words scare the Shinigami off? Was he taken by a lovely Shinigami lady? Would he consider her at all? Oh! So many questions, not enough answers… What could she possibly do?

"Shirosaki enough with the jokes. She is barely out of bed. It will be sometime before she is fully recovered."

Was Masaki ever so thankful Kurosaki-sama was on her side. The older male rarely spoke but whenever he did, it was either something important or to save her from dying of embarrassment.

 _'Thank the Lord of Kurosaki-sama!'_

"Che! Fine. Have it your way. Oh! By the way, you may want to catch the Shinigami. I think we broke him."

Sure enough, Isshin was swaying and barely holding himself straight. The statement brought him out of his stupor and instinctively, crossed his hands to the chest a little peeved at having his image messed-up. He had all intentions of courting Masaki when she became of age if she was not already fully grown-up. He wasn't much of a creep and would never degrade himself to such low levels. Yet, the girl had captured him in ways he had never felt beforehand.

"It will take much more than a single overly-talkative Hollow to put me out of commission. But I confess, you did spark my curiosity. You all seem a little too chummy with each other. Since there are two Quincies, two Shinigami and a Hollow, it would make sense if we were all battling instead of chatting and fooling around. Don't think I didn't catch on that you are all to familiar with one another. I can understand Masaki and her guardian. But how did you, a Hollow, manage to pry your way into the equation? Urahara here, I won't even count. I don't know enough to make up my mind about his intentions. For all I can tell, he might have set everything up just to conduct an experiment of some sort."

The Tenth Taichou was not that off the mark when it came to Urahara. In the past, he might have given a helping hand just for the sake of seeing something new. Regardless of his past, Urahara had taken Hollowfication as a serious issue and wasn't pleased at being accused for crimes he did not commit. The white paper fan made a quick disappearance. Urahara's whole composure became rigid and solemn, trying to portrait all the pent-up fury bottled for about a century.

"Isshin-san, I'd appreciate it if you were a bit more considerate to the one who helped you out. I have never performed an experiment on a living being human, soul or otherwise… I have no inclination of starting anytime soon. Nevertheless, I do understand your skepticism. Being a member of the Tenth Division, not to mention it's Taichou, I am well aware of the intelligence you may have gathered on me. Though, for being gone from Soul Society for over a century now, I am impressed you even considered investigating my trial. Dare I conclude that something made you specifically look into my file?"

It was a reasonable deduction and yes, Isshin had not been a Taichou when the whole incident Urahara spoke about occurred. Hell, he had been a seated officer on a mission and missed the entire event. The only reason he had gone through the data, was because Aizen's name had been mentioned.

"I did not mean to offend you. Still, you are correct. Too many things have been going on in Soul Society… shady and out of the ordinary… It is difficult not to be suspicious of every moving person, let along one known to have been a criminal in the past. Although, that too had been an obscured affair… made me wonder if you were convicted of an offence you never committed. But, you sure are difficult to read. Even now, I can't tell for sure if you did or did not do the things you were accused for."

Instead of turning even more upset at Isshin's words, Urahara gave off the impression of being elated. Finally, someone with common sense! Now, if only Isshin was a bit more open about what he actually thought, that would be great. Taking his shut fan, he used it to point at the Shinigami with renewed vigor.

"As expected from the Taichou of Squad Ten! You are more astute than what people give you credit for. Naturally, that is due to your usual goofiness, which might I say, is a superb cover. Since you have it summed up so close to home, I will clear your first doubt. I am, indeed, mostly innocent."

Receiving a disbelieving raised eyebrow from Isshin made him explain further in a serious tone.

"I did not perform Hollowfication examinations on Rukongai citizens nor on the Taichou-level Shinigami sent to investigate the previously known 'disappearing souls' case. On the contrary, I was fervently working on a solution to prevent the situation from happening. Subsequently, I was accused by the one who committed the crime. Due to the strength of his alibi, I was unable to properly defend myself or Tessai-san. Central's men found the affected comrades in my division's barracks where we had taken them to try and save their lives. Things did not go too well but in the end, we managed to push through and get to the Living World. I now work from the shadows and I won't stop until the monster responsible for the whole mess is either destroyed or imprisoned."

The way the other spoke left no space for second guessing. And yet, there was still something decidedly suspicious.

"You said 'mostly' before. Why would you say that if you were not guilty in some way?"

"Because that would not be entirely true. You see… I didn't do it per-se… but my research on Hollowfication and other methods to strengthen the soul of a Shinigami assisted in causing the problem. It would be useless to deny such facts. After all, how else would a handsome store-owner know anything about Hollowfication or how to counter it?"

There was no deceit… no self-justification… all the shopkeeper had said sounded authentic. His stance spoke of years of self-castigation at having accidentally contributed to the illegal Hollowfication tests. But, wait! If it had not been Urahara… then who? The other said he had been accused by the real culprit and that was…

Recognition flashed on Isshin's figure a name slipping through his lips… " _Aizen!_ "

"Ah. I see you have put two-and-two together. That's going to make my clarifications that much easier. May I safely presume you have lately been distrustful of Aizen Sosuke?"

" _Recently_ is putting it lightly… No, I've been wary since the first time I've met the smug… erm… weasel."

Control… Isshin had to keep cool… there was a lovely young lady in the room… she did not need to be introduced to profanities at her age… or **_ever_** for that matter.

Still by the exit and holding Masaki tight to himself, the Hollow was openly snickering at Isshin's discomfort. One day, he would even the score. But not today… Masaki was for whichever reason mesmerized by the Hollow, holding it and even going as far as being friendly with the fiend.

Isshin started to understand Urahara and his intelligence on Hollowfication. What he was still coping up with, was the Hollow and the cordial behavior surrounding it. As though reading his mind, the Quincy elder stood up and confronted him on the subject.

"Apologies. We have yet to introduce ourselves. Kurosaki Juhabach, Kurosaki Masaki's distant relative and a Quincy. My companion over there with Masaki is Shirosaki Ichirou. Don't let his outer appearances fool you. Yes, there is Hollow blood in him, but there is also Shinigami, making him a true-born Hybrid. I would greatly appreciate it if the two of you were to see eye to eye. I can assure you he is not your everyday monster. Quite the opposite, he is far more altruistic than you could imagine."

Affronted by the mere idea, Shirosaki scoffed and released his hold on Masaki's back. Though, he refused to completely let go of the little one, deciding to lower his right hand to her shoulder when she turned to face the remaining people in the room.

"Oi! Don't push it Ossan! I may not be the devil himself. But altruistic? Yeah right! Maybe a long time ago when **_he_** was alive… now… not so much. More like the occasional Samaritan."

Ignoring his partner's loud mouth, Ossan extended his hand to the still astounded Shinigami. Belatedly, Isshin took the hand in a firm shake, presenting himself formally.

"Shiba Isshin, Tenth Division Taichou of the Gotei Thirteen and Head of the Third Branch to the Shiba Clan. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

 _'Well, well, well. Masaki sure knows how to pick-them. A noble, eh?'_

Shirosaki was impressed. He already figured out that Masaki had a little crush on the Shinigami. At least this one was not a douche like Soren. The guy also just renounced on all his powers to save her life. That, along with the fiery temper earned his approval. Lowering himself to Masaki's ear, he quietly whispered.

 _"Ho-ho, Masaki-chan. You sure chose wisely. He is ok, so I'll give you my blessing. Still, do be patient for a few more years. You wouldn't want to give Ossan a heart-attack."_

Masaki blushed a deep crimson. Turning around, she started to throw as many punches at Shirosaki as she could. Not realizing the reactions her blush and consequent tantrum had caused.

Ossan was motionless and in the process of figuring out how things stack up. Isshin was losing hope in winning Masaki over. She had not been embarrassed at all when he saw her in the nude, while Shirosaki managed to agitate her to such an extent with little to no efforts. He'd have to up his game and get to know her better before having a standing chance. Urahara was amused. The near disaster had turned to be a blast. He'd have to see what to do with Isshin, since the other would not be able to return to Soul Society anytime soon. Though, it looks like it was going to be entertaining.

In a last-ditched hope of separating Masaki from the Hollow, Isshin make a sudden question.

"Oh! By the way, where is the other little Quincy? I thought he would be wondering about Masaki-san's health."

Masaki paused her punching volley, surprised to hear Ryu-chan had been here. Searching behind Shirosaki, she tried to see if the other was perhaps hiding in the hallway. Not finding her cousin anywhere around, she continued with her senses. From what she could tell, Ryuken was already almost home… and Katagiri was with him. _'What a relief… he is not alone.'_

Shirosaki thought it appropriate to leave the girl to her own devices and answered for everyone's sake.

"Nah! Ossan and I updated him as much as we could. Of course, we also gave him a quick Hybrid one-on-one explanation. With the new insight, as soon as the operation was over, we gave him a few choices and propositions. Personally, I don't think he heard half of what we told him. He said he would leave Masaki with the Shinigami. Before long, he was gone. Little brat, could at least say hi or bye."

The new information saddened Masaki. It was also possible Ryuken was mad at her for everything. Aunty sure had been pissed. No matter how much she tried, she could not remember how she ended up wherever they were in the first place.

"I see. It must not have been an easy decision. Poor guy… and after all he did to bring Masaki-san here. He is probably feeling guilty for not being able to save her himself."

That hurt even more. Masaki was regretting having caused so much harm to her cousin. Even so, she knew she would not have changed anything. No matter how sorry she was for aggravating the Ishida's, she was also that much happy and overjoyed at having saved the Shinigami's life. Pain could be dulled and in time would pass. But a lost life could never return. She knew that from her own experience… her family was never coming back. Kurosaki-sama moved forward and knelt down on one knee in front of her with a sorrowful appearance.

"You need not worry yourself or feel remorseful Masaki. You did what you considered to be right. In doing so, you created your own path and I, for one, could not be prouder. Still, I will be honest and straight with you. Quincy cannot stand Hollows. Our blood does not mix well with one another. When you got injured, you lost your privileges as a pure-blood Quincy. That is something not even I can change. However, whether you are a true-blood or not matters not to me. Since we met, all I ever wanted was to keep you happy and safe. If anyone should to feel ashamed, it should be me. I should have checked on you sooner. Will you ever be able to forgive this old fool I have become?"

Seconds flew by in a breeze and as soon as Masaki grasped what the Emperor was saying, she made her decision. Without uttering a single syllable, she rushed at the other and squeezed him as hard as she could muster. She tried to show him, she could never be upset. Not at the person who saved her from certain death. The mansion's underground passage did have a storage, but how long would she have survived down there?

More so, the older did everything in his powers to give her a new family. He even went as far as to have her adopted in the Ishida's household. Wops! She, probably will not have a second opportunity to stay with her relatives anymore. But that wasn't important. She had Kurosaki-sama, Shirosaki-san, all her friends at school…and with any luck, she also had these two Shinigami. With so many people around her, she could never feel alone. Her hug was returned in kind and the Quincy King conveyed all his feelings into it.

The affectionate display touched everyone's heart. Not being one for long mushy scenes, Shirosaki brought everyone out of their inner thoughts.

"Alright, that's enough you two! Enough with all the lovey-dovey. Time to man up and get things done. Masaki-chan, want to check the store with me? While at it, we can go and meet Tessai-san and grab something to eat. Don't know for you but I'm famished! After that, you can help me find the most creative way of making Tessai-san give us some extra futons for the night. It's you, me and Ossan all over again."

His enthusiasm was a well-played trickery. Which was confirmed when gold on black eyes crossed with reddish-brown. The silent conversation barely lasted two seconds. Those seconds being all they required. Right on time too, as the overly happy Masaki eagerly agreed. Grabbing the Hybrid by the hands, she used all her might to persuade him into moving along and doing exactly as he told. It goes without saying that the two soon abandoned the room and three figures behind.

With a soft exhale, Ossan rose to his full height and silently conveyed his thoughts with Urahara. Receiving a nod as a confirmation, he faced Isshin head-on.

"I believe it will be for the mutual benefit if we brought you up-to-speed with all the unusual occurrences surrounding the World of the Living, Masaki, Shirosaki and myself. It will take a while, so we might want to make ourselves comfortable. Urahara-san, mind if we discussed this in your mini-conference room? A drink, too, would be highly appreciated."

Urahara nodded once and opened the door leading the way to the same chamber they have been using for all their meetings thus far. Isshin could prove to be yet another asset to their steadily growing group. Though, he had the fleeting sensation he had missed something crucial. Meh, his speedy brain was probably just going in overdrive. Whatever it was, it would surely come up when it became important.

* * *

Crestfallen, Ryuken was roaming around Karakura with no particular destination in mind. Everything he found out, all the revelations at the Shoten were openly haunting his mind. Even as he put more and more distance from the accursed place, he did not have it in him to return home. How could he? His disregard for Masaki's wound had caused him to lose her. Else would never accept her back. Not after what she had witnessed.

Lost in thoughts, he never realized he was drenched to the bones. Heck, he didn't even feel the cold rain which was weeping alongside him, washing all his shunned tears for him. Subconsciously, he was moving in the direction of a familiar… pleasant presence. About ten steps before reaching whomever was out there, he raised his head to face the person.

It was Katagiri. Her face betrayed no emotions, no feelings whatsoever. Perhaps, the sensation was a reflection of his own emptiness. There she stood… open white umbrella and her servant's clothes… Waiting for a command… an order.

With a lumped posture, he moved passed her, not meeting her eyes. He would have continued on had it not been for her soft voice.

"You left Masaki-sama with the Shinigami?"

The query did not need an answer, all the same, he confirmed with a barely audible "Yes."

Using the same monotonous tone, he decided to make her a final request.

"Go back home and tell my mother that I, Ryuken, am not fit to lead the Quincy."

He had it in mind never to return. What would be the point? His mother was probably perturbed beyond words. Katagiri had been disloyal… He himself, had acted like a spoiled brat and hurt all those around him. If he was to go back, he would end up causing even more trouble.

"I shall do no such thing."

That was a first. Though, he was feeling too much grief to consider the meaning of those words. With more heat, he restated.

"I said, go home."

He had not anticipated a comeback as his tone left no room for discussion.

"I refuse. I will not leave you alone young Master."

That was the final drop. Katagiri was continuously defying his ultimate demand.

"Katagiri!"

Before he could howl his anger, he was stopped by Katagiri's glum and detached voice.

"Ryuken-sama, need I remind you that it is my duty to protect you at any and all costs? From the very moment we have met… I have devoted my entire life and soul to you. That's why I implore you… do not despair… don't be sad… because seeing you this way breaks my heart… Your…"

There was naught but heartache, melancholy… despair. Was he really such a dumb idiot incapable of feeling anyone else's emotions? So, Selfish and despicable… With an inaudible sigh, he stopped her in her tracks.

"Katagiri… I'll be okay… Let's go home."

Even though, he never turned around, he knew he had surprised her. Simultaneously, he caused her even more anguish. He solemnly swore to do his best and to someday bring a smile to her teary face.

"O… of course, …as you wish young Master."

The two resumed their journey back to the household, neither saying anything further and yet, both felt somewhat comforted. Maybe just being in each other's presence was causing the unruly sensation… Perhaps in time they could be at peace or better…

* * *

Giving Isshin a full count on everything between the Kurosaki's, Shirosaki, Urahara and his group of misfits had taken several hours. During that time, Shirosaki had managed to distract Masaki just as he had planned. Only when the two had readied the chamber with three futons, did they join the others in the meeting room.

By that point, everything had been said and done. Isshin took his while in accepting all the claims. Though, being the ever-perceptive man, he soon agreed to assist as much as he possibly could. He did give them in turn the information related to the investigation and the detail that several Taichou were going to be around the Academy opening ceremony.

Just then a cheerful Masaki entered bringing tea for everyone, Shirosaki tagging along behind her, while Tessai just waited by the door for the tray holding the drinks. As soon as everyone was served, Masaki returned the borrowed plate and showed to have one extra cup meant for the glasses-wearing giant.

Her kindness moved Tessai to tears of joy and he quickly made himself scarce. It wouldn't do for his boss to see him crying. Besides, there were many things he had to prepare. The day had been a busy one indeed. There were barriers to raise, Hollows to exterminate, machinery parts to bring to the laboratory and a training ground to reinforce. None of these tasks would be done by themselves. That's why Tessai was around. With a skip in his step, he got down to business.

Not wanting to be cruel, Ossan went ahead and told Masaki the bare necessity. Meaning, he explained her situation, the possibility of choosing again where she would like to reside with the options being: the Shoten, an apartment, a house or any other solution she might have in mind.

As Isshin said he would stay at the store for some time, Masaki made her decision fairly quickly. She was curious about the other and wanted to get to know him better. With that out of the way, Ossan pressed on. Describing Aizen as a terrible man who needed to be stopped before more people got hurt, he resolved to tell how Shirosaki and he himself, would be going on a prolonged undercover mission to Soul Society.

It had not been easy, as Masaki was very disheartened. Despite everything, she understood. And though, she was deflated, she let it pass. The excitement in Shirosaki's eyes at the prospect of some action was the sole reason she did not put up much of a fight. Since they met, she had not seen him act like that. Actually, every time she saw him, she learned something new. He was a very complex individual and although, his anguish was still visible, it had slowly decreased in the span of a few days. If this was going to make him feel happy, then she too will be content for him.

On the downside, if she understood correctly, she was not going to see either Kurosaki-sama or Shirosaki-san for several years. She did have friends and she did find an amazing person in Tessai-san… Urahara-san, too, seemed like a fun individual. But she would miss the _'pale phantom'_ and the regal Kurosaki-sama. She swore to spend every remaining minute with them until they would leave for Soul Society. With no school on the following day, she aspired to make that promise a reality.

* * *

Do you ever wake up knowing it was going to be an unproductive day?

In the Throne room of the Wandenreich one Soren had the feeling he was the only one to get those vibes. Quincies always found a thing or two to do during their day. Accompanied by the many missions he himself had issued and the commands made by Haschwalth, it was really only natural.

After the busy day and even more demanding night, he returned to Wandenreich and his personal chambers, falling instantly asleep on his king size bed.

Soren had slept in late. As anticipated though, what with his late night and meetings. Truly, he was surprised to have awoken at all. Once he did raise from the comforts of his bed, he had in mind to speak with Haschwalth and prod the other for data.

There must have been some sort of activity in the World of the Living. Should Haschwalth deny such facts, he would be a hundred percent sure the other was conspiring against his person. As if Soren would let him do as he pleased.

On the other side, he had been unable to get a hold of Haschwalth the whole day. Must be due to the detail that the Second in Command was enjoying his day off. What? Yes, even Sternritters have some time off. It's not like they work in tourism where every day is a working one, with no rest until the end of the season or contract. Depending where you got stuck at.

The agreement was that even on his off-time, Haschwalth was not allowed to leave Wandenreich. Soren already knew that this arrangement was not broken. After all, his trusty spy had already started following Haschwalth around. Thanks to PePe, he was well aware Haschwalth had gone training. What surprised him was the set of orders Haschwalth had placed on the troops prior to taking his leave of absence. Bazzard Black, Robert Accutrone, the Lloyd's brothers and several other Sternritters were sent to the Living World in various directions and positions.

Looking at the strategic design for the millionth time, he concluded the other must be searching for something. All those in the Human World were close to each other, yet far enough not to notice their separate presences. They were all tasked to the same zone and were to send periodical reports from the exact same location. The timing was perfectly created in such way there would be no possibility for them to stumble on one another.

The more he watched the distribution and requirement to keep their respective reiatsu to the minimum, the more he believed Haschwalth was trying to achieve a certain goal. Judging by everything, he dared say Haschwalth was trying to distinguish who was loyal and who might be giving false accounts.

Brilliant! Understanding the motive behind such an intricate plot was not easy. But now, Soren had to tip his hat to the Grandmaster's genius. According to the log, each Sternritter had been given the task at a different time and while they were completely separated from one another. Remarkable! This is exactly why he wanted the blonde to become a member of his ranks. More so, with his influence, Soren would be able to overpass the annoying Throne rule.

Yes, he must have him and he would no matter the cost. Either Hubert will prove his coercing skills or PePe would get him with his talent. Either way was fine in Soren's books. Haschwalth would become his stepping stone to reaching his goals. Once he became the ruler, he would start his next set of plans.

Oh yes, the future seemed really bright. He was looking forward to becoming the sole Emperor to the Quincies and Shinigami alike. Yamamoto would not be an easy opponent to defeat. Nonetheless, his blood-connection will certainly help him in overpowering the ancient one. Heh! The fool will regret the day he refused his mother from Soren's first lifetime.

In another lifetime, Soren's mother had been head-over-heels in love with the well-known and scary Shinigami. Being from a noble clan, she was not allowed to pursue her infatuation. Not that the laws kept her desire at bay. Although famous, Yamamoto was just a Shinigami with no connections nor wealth.

If only the Clan Elders had known the man they considered nothing more than common trash would become the most powerful man in all of Soul Society, perhaps they would have been a bit more inclined to the idea. Unfortunately, that had not been the case and his mother could do nothing but admire the make from afar.

In the years to come, she vehemently turned down all her suitors, which brought forth the anger of the Clan members. Without her knowledge, they arranged a marriage between her and one of the heirs to the noble Kyoraku family. She would have remained oblivious to the Clan's agreement had it not been for her sister.

The 'generous' soul forewarned her of the imminent wedding and suggested her sister to give up on the idea of being married to Yamamoto, especially since the other was not interested in relationships whatsoever.

Not being one to be deterred easily, Soren's mother rebuffed with such vigor it left his aunt stupefied. Playing the devils' advocate, his aunt second proposition was much more to Soren's mother's liking. Get Yamamoto drunk, sleep with him and make a child. The timing had to be absolutely perfect and during her fertility period. Needless to say, she made it. Choosing the right date, she called Yamamoto for a casual outing, while hiding her identity. Getting the man of her dreams intoxicated was a piece of cake. The sleepover had been the tricky part, but she pushed through and made it.

Obviously, the Elders were infuriated beyond words. For committing the crime of adultery prior to being married, she lost the first-born privileges which befell upon her sister's shoulders. She was not banned nor asked to abort the child, for it would have brought even more shame to the family. However, she was punished to care and raise the child all on her own.

They would consent to the marriage between her and Yamamoto only if Yamamoto officially recognized and accepted the child along with all the responsibilities of leading the Clan. Yamamoto had had absolutely no idea he had been with anyone and refused to acknowledge being the father to the unborn child. As per his words, his job was too dangerous to be fraternizing or taking even more 'unnecessary' responsibilities.

Let's just say, he had acted out like a real ass and back then, he was considered one. A criminal, murderer and the most power-hungry monster the world had ever seen. The only thing keeping his wild personality at bay was the knowledge that there were two more individuals even stronger than Yamamoto himself. The Soul King and the Quincy Emperor.

How ironic fates played with the lives of the unfortunate souls.

Soren's mother did take it upon herself to raise the child and never again made any issues for the Clan. Her heart broken by the hurtful rejection, she consented to any and all rules the Elders imposed on her at the sole exception of marriage. Even after the devastating realization that Yamamoto would never be her, she was still fond of the tyrant declining any matrimonial proposals.

The wedding between Soren's mother and the Kyoraku head had been cancelled. Her sister promised to one the many Shiba family branches. His aunt's involvement in the conspiracy had been discovered and since she birthed only females, she lost the benevolence of her Clan. Not that it bothered her much, having been embraced by the Shiba' welcoming hands.

In time, Soren was recognized as the legitimate heir to their Clan and according to traditions wedded a beautiful maiden from the Kuchiki Clan, giving both families offspring's they yearned for.

It was when his wife passed away and his children grew-up that he had abandoned the Clan and moved to the Living World. There he met the only woman he had ever loved, Masaki. His matrimony to the Kuchiki's had been a political one with no love nor care.

He had willingly and docilely accepted the deal solely for his mother's benefit. He had made the Elders an offer they could not have refused even though they wanted to. Using all his intellect, skills and status as the last remaining male heir, he made sure to be fully recognized as the family head. Once that had been taken out of the way, he was well aware he had to continue the family legacy and have children. What better way to show-off than to marry one of the ladies from the most noble Clan houses?

In short, the Elders had been elated. They had wanted a connection to the Kuchiki's for generations and Soren had given them exactly that. In return, his mother was treated like a queen, her misdeeds fully forgotten and she was permitted to live as she pleased. Yes, Soren had played a good game and came on top. After all, blood is blood and with no males the Clan would have been lost.

Soren had pulled all information regarding the Clan, his birth and much more from his mother at a very young age. As a preteen, he felt the case had been unjust and swore he would one day redeem his mother's privileges. His dreams of glory, grandeur, majesty and riches were always at the top of his head, reminding him that if he wanted something, he had to fight for it. Being fair was rarely on the table, as it was much easier and faster to cheat his way around.

The Hollow incident had not been an easy subject for his poor mother. Apparently, she was on her way to do some shopping and simultaneously stalking her unrequited lover when she saw the demon. Though, pregnant, she felt nauseated by its presence. Worst of all, the humanoid beast had not even deemed her worthy of a proper fight. Instead it bit her and disappeared.

Shortly after his wife's death, he had encountered a spectacular maiden. Soren never loved the girl but did lust after her beauty. His many attempts to sway the young lady in his chambers had all been in vain. At first, he blamed it on his lineage. It was a common fact that he was an illegitimate by no matter his status as Clan head and member of the Kuchiki by way of marriage. Much later, rumors about his prey associating with an unknown pale male spurred Soren's interest. More so, when the lady had remained pregnant. Soren had taken great joy and pleasure in bringing shame to the unsuspecting family and had struck both the maiden and her lover down. Getting the mod fired up had been plain sailing.

To think she had fallen for a beast instead of a human. How could she have chosen a Hollow over him? Neither of the two had ever been seen or heard from again. Not too long following the incident, Soren took his leave and met Masaki. What he had felt for the Quincy girl, had been unknown and foreign. His marriage had been a blessing like no other. She was brave, gorgeous, intelligent, stupendous in every single imaginable way. She was perfect. And he somehow won her heart.

Being one of the two only daughters of the Quincy King had just been an added bonus. In Soul Society, no matter how much influence he had, it never felt real. Yes, he had accomplished a lot and made sure his mother was treated well. But all in all, he was always considered to be lower than the rest. Forever pegged as a peasants' bastard. It was something that would never change. In the Living World though, there were no such rules and Emperor Bach had been more than accommodating toward his daughter's wishes. Soren finally had the chance to become a King. A much higher position than a noble, with more privileges and authority and influence.

His marriage with Masaki had been the first step to the Monarch's ruin. Soren had been so sure of his supremacy and future right to rule. He was married to an amazing woman he actually desired and loved, he was second in line to the Throne as Masaki's sister had married into a family, meaning neither she nor her children would get in line for the title of Sovereign. His life had made a huge change for the best. Everything was coming together much better than he would have ever imagined.

Until his son's birth. The little pest was not even a day old when he started causing him problems. The scoundrel nearly killed Masaki during childbirth and managed to conquer the affection of the Quincy King without even trying. It was so wrong. Compared to Soren, who had tried time and time again to win the other's favor, the small tyke won with naught but a laugh… a smile.

From that day forth, Soren had never seen his son as anything more than a nuisance. Naturally, that was not common knowledge. He had been a particularly good player and, in public, managed to disguise his true emotions towards his own kid. In private though, when no one was around or awake…well… that was an entirely different story.

Regrettably, he did not manage to kill the infant. Masaki had been all over the mongrel as were the Emperor and, surprisingly, Haschwalth. It was clear he had to thread carefully. For one, he made sure to love Masaki as much as possible. Soon, a daughter was born. Since the boy had grown up a bit, Masaki started to dedicate a lot of time to the newborn. Not that she neglected the lad, but she was not glued to him anymore. In turn, that gave him the possibility to find other means to make the young one's life miserable to the point of subtly suggesting it to run from home.

It had been a stroke of genius. Sensing the many Hollows lurking outside the castle grounds on a lovely late afternoon, he had managed to scare the living daylights out of the mini-imp, forcing it to flee. Soren had been so sure it would not live long enough to see the rise of that evening's moon. Imagine his stupor when he found out not only that the sprout was brought back to the castle **alive** , but that it also managed to return **unhurt**. He did not consider bruises and scratches as injuries, so sue him.

The event had been an eye opener for Soren. The squirt was frighteningly powerful. He had been aware of the tricksters reiatsu. After all, the reason Masaki had so many difficulties in carrying and birthing the delinquent was its surreal reiatsu. Soren fully grasped the concept of just how strong the thing was thanks to that particular incident. It is useless to say that he had doubled the **_'punishments'_** he so blissfully forced on the boy. His side efforts to have the child killed by anything and anyone who could not be connected back to him, had also exponentially increased around that period.

Actually, now that he thought about it, it was astonishing it took so long for the Emperor and the Second in Command to discuss the need to hire a permanent bodyguard. Soren's attempts to dissuade them, by then, had been futile. Thus, to expedite his son's demise, he had payed a group of mercenaries to put an end to _its_ life. The plan was so simple yet so precise it was laughable.

First, during the candidate's interview, he had to get the young one drugged. Once asleep, it would be taken to a nearby room so it could rest. Knowing where the meetings would be held, Soren had calculated the closest chamber, thus, he was able to predict where it would be sent to. Leaving the window unlocked the night prior was a natural and an effortless course of actions. The assassins had to merely escalate the window, enter, kill the boy and be done with it. For the amount he had given them, it was supposed to be a piece of cake. A smooth hit.

Soren should have known by then, things were never that straightforward whenever the orange-headed menace was involved. And sure enough, the execution had failed. First the narcotic had ended up being an overpriced low-quality brew.

When he purchased the damned sedative, he had been assured it was strong enough to knock-out even the most vigorous man for several months. Because of that miscalculation, the impudent teen woke-up prematurely and, from the received intel, even managed to put up a decent fight. From that point onward, things spiraled out of control. One of the candidates heard what was going on and helped the mutt, becoming its guardian in the process.

That was the first time he came in contact with _The White Monster_. An appropriate nickname of Soren's personal creation. Seriously though, the fiend was pale as paper with white hair and creepy eyes. At least it was human. Soren was forced to lessen the attacks, hoping to prove that a bodyguard was unnecessary. Still, no matter how much he tried, the Emperor did not relent nor lowered his watchful eyes.

In a last-ditch effort to do away with the escort, he attempted to manipulate his young daughter into requesting Shirosaki was given to her instead. Yet another spectacular idea. During the time it took to either agree or arrange for a different protector, Soren made his assault. Hell, it had been a well-organized attack.

As the heir to the Quincy kingdom, the brat was sent to do a task in the capital. While on the road, Soren had commissioned a legion of sturdy Hollows and Shinigami under his influence. It was supposed to be a picnic, a walk in the park. Hundreds of opponents against a single target and two low-leveled escorts. Ultimately, the result was the same. The kid managed to get out of the ambush intact and Shirosaki's post became irrevocable and permanent.

That had been the last straw. Any and all shots were henceforth put at bay. Being a patient man, Soren waited for the perfect occasion. The opportunity presented itself soon after. The Quincies and Shinigami were working on an alliance and a squad from each race was supposed to meet and work together as a test trial.

It had been a spectacular gift from destiny itself. This time around, Soren helped in making sure the youngster was selected for the job. Things happened and he managed to get his hands on the rascal. He had infected the vast majority of the Shinigami in the assigned group and bribed their leader. Whatever happened later was still fuzzy and unclear.

He'd have to visit his lab soon. Having blurry memories was not good for his health. Somehow, he knew, the minor escaped… the Quincy King got sealed away… there was a battle… he had created a device to annihilate Shirosaki… but then why was the monster alive…? A fight… he clearly recalled an epic match against his son…

 _'Damn it! Even after all these years, I'm still having problems remembering my full past! Curse that orange pain in the neck. I hope it suffers agony like no other.'_

Swearing like a sailor and damning the kid for all ages, always managed to placate Soren's rage. This time… it was no different.

His first marriage with the Kuchiki aristocrat had been a blessing in disguise. Specifically, because of the many descendants. Had he not had descendants in which to be reborn, he might have been the one lost for eternity.

Those kids in Soul Society grew-up to have children of their own, who in turn, had their toddlers and so on… they multiplied and sprang up like mushrooms and all just to let him come back once more. How opportune that he was reborn from a marriage between his family and the Shiba Clan. It was comical, ludicrous really, for him to return to life into those two households. Coincidentally enough, he was precisely a child derived from a long line of his own and his aunt's offspring's.

No wonder Masaki showed signs of liking the Tenth Division Taichou, they were distantly related. With any luck, he would soon reclaim her and her affections. It's weird, really, how time flies by. Yet again, he had spent most of the day lost in his thoughts which was besides the point. Though, his stomach started to make unruly sounds, reminding him that sustenance was an important need which required his attention. Exhaling to nothing in particular, he sent the irksome Throne a heated glare… Someday, he would either be able to sit down onto the lousy thing or find a way around it. It was just a matter of enduing the mild mental torture until a solution presented itself. Unless…

A new dazzling idea bloomed… what would happen if… oh, this was good, nay… it was superb! With an unseen demonic smile stretched across his masked-wearing-face Soren embraced the new concept with all his might. The life to come is about to become… fascinating…

Hmm… he will require a completely new kind of _'guinea pigs'_. Unfortunately, due to the two wars, Quincies were decreasing in numbers. Maybe with an astute plan, he could get a hold of a few scattered around the globe? Absentmindedly, he started his well-known routine of pacing in circles.

* * *

The next day came too soon for a lively Masaki. It was the last day she would get to spend with Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san. Refusing to show her disdain or sadness at the thought of not getting to see them once they infiltrated Soul Society, she made sure to be as euphoric as possible.

Their first stop was to visit the Ishida's. Their goal: to properly clear out any misunderstandings and or ill feelings. With Soken still nowhere in sight, it was hard to justify Shirosaki's true blood. Though a bit affronted, Else remained composed. She did not appreciate the original misinformation. Yet, she did admit that she would have exaggerated had she been told the truth on that first occasions. She had spent the rest of the previous night with her son, who in turn, confessed everything he had either seen or had been told.

Ryuken appeared like one who did not sleep the whole night. But after a long chat with Masaki, Shirosaki and the Emperor, he resolved to forgive them. Still, he did request for the three not to stay over, if avoidable.

More than anything, it was for Katagiri's and his well-being. Katagiri, who had been at his side ever since he left the Shoten and declined to move from his door the entire night. With no other pure-blood lines and no pressure in carrying forward the Quincy bloodline, he felt rejuvenated and for the first time ever, he was able to openly select with whom he wished to spend the rest of his life with. It was too soon for him to make a choice at this point. But the future appeared brighter than ever.

With her jolly attitude, Masaki lightened-up the household and its inhabitants. No hard feelings stayed behind and none felt repulsion nor anger. Satisfied that the matter had been positively resolved, the Emperor quietly offered Else a piece of advice. Whatever he said left an impression on everyone, for Else flushed a beautiful scarlet.

Prior to leaving the Ishida's, the Quincy King made a last-minute inquiry to the Lady of the House. Being a sensitive subject, she requested privacy. Masaki and Shirosaki were sent with Ryuken and Katagiri to wit in the gardens with an added demand to not cause any trouble. The appeal had been given with the addition of a piercing gaze at Shirosaki, giving the pale one the opportunity to show his disdain and lifting the mood to new heights.

The children and one Hollow, all wondered what was going on in the Emperor's mind. Once they started speculating, they forgot all about rules and titles, acting out like curious kittens. Their musing was broken by a loud noise originating from within the house. Running towards the source, like the devil was behind them, they ended up on the second floor and the Lords' bedchamber.

They were met with a fascinating scene. Else was crying her heart out on the Emperor's chest, holding him as thought the other was her last lifeline. At first, all four were taken-back. That is, until they realized that she was crying because she was overwhelmed with joy.

The Quincy King was not able to pure her blood, just like he couldn't do it for Masaki, but he did remove the pain and the leftover poison from her wound, thus, allowing her to regain proper mobility which had been lost all those years ago. It was such a nice gesture and one that would remain remembered for ages to come.

Afterwards, for Masaki's sake, they went to the park. It was a beautiful day and with Masaki dressed in a light pink short-sleeved shirt, a knee-length lapis lazuli blue shirt and white gladiator sandals they were sure it would become even better. Her radiant smile was the biggest possible reward for her two escorts.

Morning flew by in a breeze and soon it was time for Shirosaki and Ossan to prepare for their trip to Soul Society. Having calculated the time difference and how much it would take them to reach the sign-up desk, they would be left with barely any time to study for the entrance exam. Thankfully, Yoruichi had prepared all the relevant notes and along with Isshin's intel they made quick work of all the data, storing it for the upcoming test.

As soon as they were ready, Urahara showed them to his laboratory, where he had prepared their Gigai. Creepily enough, the doll-like things already had a form. One of them was an almost identical replica of Shirosaki, if a little shorter, by an inch and a half. It had tan skin and long black hair with short fringes. Basically, the same as his current looks, only with some extra coloring. Anyone in it would appear like a teenager on the verge of reaching full maturity.

The other one was notably smaller. At barely 5'8'' maybe 5'7'', it was definitely bordering between a child and mid-teen. With a slim built and short wavy black hair, it was definitely a big contrast to either one of the candidates who were to occupy the shell. Both bodies were already dressed in the standard Shinigami uniform, thus removing yet another nuisance from the to-do-list.

Feeling generous, Urahara gave Shirosaki a slight push, making the other fall right on top of the 'bigger' Gigai. As soon as Shirosaki's skin touched the Gigai, the pale individual disappeared.

Regaining his wits, Shirosaki promptly started chasing the hat wearing maniac. Figuring the rest for himself, Ossan entered the left-over object. The moment he opened his eyes, he concluded he'd have to get used to the lack of height. Leave it to Urahara to make things difficult where it was not needed.

Although, he had to admit he did not feel that much changed if not for feeling shorter. He would never confess it, but the body brought a sense of nostalgia. Going over to the nearest reflective surface, he realized that he looked just like when he had been around fifteen. That was surely several lifetimes ago. The only difference were his eyes. As a youngster, his eyes had been ruby-red. But not these… the orbs he used to glance all over were an astonishing sapphire blue. The whole set-up should have made him appear younger, less serious, probably a bit child-like. Yet, it appeared like his personally stuck with him even in another body.

Gazing at Shirosaki's new form, though, was really challenging. It reminded him too much of Ichigo. Change those red-wine eyes to soft chocolate brown, the hair to orange and he'd feel as if he had come back from the dead. Not wanting to feel pain at every occasion, he decided to try the same method he used for Shirosaki. Focusing on the minor difference and opposite personality always did the trick.

Shirosaki, on the other hand, had it really rough. He was used to his snow-white skin. Seeing the same tan shade Ichigo had, was torture. Still, he couldn't find it in him to be mad at Getabōshi. The other had no idea how Ichigo had looked like. Hell, they never gave him a name to work with. Their Ichigo was exactly that, _theirs_.

Once everyone calmed down, namely Shirosaki, the two shared a group hug with Masaki. Only to pass through to Soul Society via Ossan's special skill, the shadows, with Yoruichi's reiatsu on the other side as a guiding beacon.

Masaki bravely endured the farewell, but as soon as the two disappeared from the room, silent tears slid down her cheeks. Unaware of the wetness on her face, she continued to hold her smile. Affected by Masaki's display, Isshin placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving her all his support, whispering kind and reassuring words.

Urahara took that as his que to leave the two alone. They were so cute together. He opted to watch carefully from a safe distance how the situation would develop from there onward. One thing he was sure of, it was that the two belong with one another. They sure did make a great couple.

It took him no time to occupy his mind with other jobs and tasks. Several minutes later, booming laughter vibrated through the entire shop. It was a contagious one for sure, as he could feel a smile gracing his own features. Wherever Tessai was at that moment, he was sure the sensation must be mutual. Oh boy! He only hoped Kurosaki-sama would approve. Thinking back to the man in question, from what he could tell, the other wanted nothing but the best for Masaki-san. Therefore, he should not worry much about it. After all, whatever made the girl happy, must be worthy of her affection. Even if that something was in all actuality a now, ex-Shinigami.

True to his prediction. Masaki did spend a lot of time with Isshin. While in the shop, she did grace them with marvelous cooking and a spotless home. She did attend school and before anyone noticed, she finished with flying scores, giving her the chance to enroll in college on a one-of-a-kind scholarship.

As for Isshin, he had shown great medicine knowledge and with a bit of tutoring from Urahara, the ex-Taichou managed to open the 'Kurosaki clinic'. When asked why he used the name Kurosaki, he said he kind of felt indebted to both Masaki and her guardian. In the few years it took him to achieve a valid doctorate and acclimate to the Human World, Masaki had been there for him and along with the shopkeeper, helped him get used and start to love his newfound life.

Urahara teased him that his and Tessai's contribution should be placed in the equation, since they had helped along the way. With a sheepish smile, Isshin responded that from the little he knew about the two, it was not necessary. They had been able to support both Isshin and Masaki, thus, by getting them out of the metaphorical nest should be considered their greatest achievement. Not to mention, the help they received around the Shoten. Masaki with her cleaning and cooking skills, Isshin with the rest and the more mundane jobs, like fixing stuff and repairs on every corner. What with Urahara and his experiments, not a single day passed without at least three explosions. It had given Isshin much work indeed, but a lot of experience on the everyday life of a human.

Once in college, Masaki started to visit the clinic more and more often. It goes without saying that in the many years spent together, the two got to know each other very well. Several months after she started college, Isshin managed to finally grow a pair and asked her out on a date. His 'date-research-material' had been extensive and quite intense. On their first outing, he took her out for dinner and a movie. During the second, he took her shopping with a quick trip to the beach. The third had been at the end of her semester, when he took her to skiing. That one had been a disaster, as neither knew how to ski to save their life.

Masaki kept in touch with Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san. But as weeks moved to months and months turned to years, she spent less and less time calling them or asking for updates. She wanted to give them their space and in turn asked for the same.

The festivity for attaining a Bachelor's degree had been a blast. Isshin had gone out of his way to earn a luxury trip for the two of them. The journey consisted of a stay in a remarkable Onsen. There were several outside natural springs in which they could swim and or relax, a nice jogging track and even rafting through streams. In the vicinity there was a zip-line park with 'floating' bridges and 'hidden' paths. Having spent the morning and majority of the day exploring or sightseeing, they concluded the evening with a toast to a bright future together. Isshin putting the final statement as complete by proposing Masaki.

The two love-birds extended the clinic by turning it into a working and living space. Making two guest rooms in case of friendly visits and overnights. On the upper floor, there were the two guest rooms, their shared chamber and a spacious bathroom. A secondary smaller bathroom was located on the ground floor, along with the kitchen, the living space and a storage basement situated between the entrance and the living room.

Adjoined, there was a mini-hallway which took them to the clinic. The clinic itself was not overly large, but spacious enough to accommodate up to seven patients. It was modernly equipped and out of the seven beds, two were in separate rooms. Those were rarely used but came in handy for those who were badly injured, but not in mortal danger and required either rest or an extra infusion fluid.

Not long after settling down they were met with a drastic and sudden change. Masaki became pregnant. With the amount of work and the fast-paced life, they figured that one out rather late. Soon after, they married wanting to assure the up-to-come child would have a stable and happy home.

Well, with Isshin's goofy nature, it was a given. In all the time spent with the juvenile male, Masaki had noticed a few things. First and foremost, her now wedded husband, was a lunatic. But that was one of his greatest strengths and she adored him for his over-reactive personality. Second, when needed he could make a complete transformation into the calmest and steadiest person she had ever seen. The third one, was more of a mystery.

She would catch him lost in space from time to time. Every time she attempted to bring him out, he would say he did not remember anything. At times that worried her. Yet he never gave her a reason to pursue the matter in more details.

With the pregnancy moving at a stable pace, she soon realized their child was going to become a powerhouse. It was getting harder and harder to maintain the gravidity, as the child was taking everything out of Masaki. Not wanting to alarm Isshin, she turned to Urahara and asked for advice. Urahara took a few days to create special supplement pills which helped her greatly.

Still, the pills did not do anything for her stomachaches nor nausea. The constant Hollow attacks were also a big distraction. Most of her dizzy spells did occur whenever a Hollow was close-by. It was as if the child could sense the danger and did everything it could to prevent her from chasing after the Hollow.

Just days before her set date, a large grasshopper-looking Hollow assaulted them in their home. It was fortunate Urahara had been on his way for a check-up and eliminated the beast. However, Masaki got severely injured and with Isshin blind to Hollows, he had been unable to help much. He did what he could and guarded her with his body, but the Hollow did manage to land a hit regardless of his endeavors. With one of the two front sets of legs, the creature swiped Isshin out of the way, with the second, it grabbed Masaki and attempted to cut her belly.

Luckily, Urahara made his entrance before the monster made too much damage. The stress and the pain were enough to render Masaki unconscious. With barely any time to spare, Urahara and Isshin took the senseless girl down to the clinic, deciding to start the delivery at once.

With Masaki being unresponsive, it too the two several hours to complete the parturition. Nonetheless, they were blessed with a newborn's cry. It was a boy with a striking feature. It had orange hair, which was visible even while covered in blood and grime. Masaki and Isshin had remodeled one of the guest rooms into a nursery. And so, Isshin cleaned up and wrapped his son in a warm blanket, taking him straight to the baby's room. Even though the child was delivered, Masaki was not getting better.

In his panic to save Masaki, he left the baby all alone in the crib and returned to the clinic to attend to his beloved wife. Urahara, too busy trying to bring the young mother from the brink of death, never realized that Isshin had taken the little one away. Thus, neither bore witness the horrific creature that materialized in the boy's chamber.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. If I made a mistake along the way, please let me know. Sorry for repeating the same parts all over again xD_

Hear, hear! It's finally happening. We have a little Ichi! xD

Shooting stars! It's late and I have a long journey ahead of me in less than four hours!

I do hope you'll love this chapter. I tried to do my best to pack it up with tons of activities and even a fast-forward button xD xD xD

Next chapter will start off a little intense…

I'll give you a heads' up – it will also contain the reason why Ichigo couldn't be reborn until now :3

I'd really like to know what you think about the fraction of Soren's past you saw:D

Not trying to make him mean, but he is – at least in my eyes… those of the author x3

Shame on me! Rambling and talking badly about a character of my own creation (-_-)

A quick revelation, I am sure you caught on… Shirosaki's Gigai looks like Ichigo in his Mugetsu form, I just took an inch away. Ossan being Tensa Zangetsu. I really wanted to use those two forms sooner rather than later x3

Still thinking on their fake names. Any suggestions?

 _Oh, well. Until next time. Wishing you all the best :D_


	32. Chapter 32

_Hi!_

 _Chapter XXXII is in the house xD_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings all as per usual:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

A huge Thank You to ZooFan and to all of you for reading :3

Still, I am giving a special shout out to ZooFan… your comments sure did make my fingers glide across the keyboard. Sorry it took me so long to post this baby, but that's all part of a sailor's life xD

I'll do my best to keep them coming, but I'll be honest… working on ships + writing… not the best of combos… I swear time management onboard is not an easy thing to play around with especially when you are short on people.

I'm so glad I am stubborn as a mule and persist in typing every chance I get xD

Please enjoy this Chapter is for you :D

 _PS I'm not that evil to kill Chibi-Ichi… just gave him birth and all… soon it will be clear what I was doing x3_

* * *

 _Chapter XXXII_

* * *

 _Neither bore witness to the horrific creature that materialized in the boy's chamber…_

Isshin's fear for Masaki's health was enormous. So much so, that he did not realize his newborn son was not faring much better. He had hurriedly cleaned the baby, wrapped it in a warm blanket and taken it to its room, the nursery on the upper level.

The boy ceased his screaming several minutes ago, the very moment he felt the pleasant heat surround its tiny body. Believing that the child was fine, since it was not yelling, Isshin left the baby in the crib and rushed back to the clinic to save his wife's life. In the process, he missed the moment when his child opened its eyes for the very first time.

The baby felt lost. There were so many huge things all around, but at least it was cozy. Not that it could distinguish anything it saw, mind you. Soon after, the young one started having some problems. It was becoming hard to breathe and there was a foreign weigh pressing down on his small fame.

He was not aware that he himself was the one causing the unknown sensation. And, how could he? It's not like one was born with data or intel on how to regulate Reiatsu.

Considering the density of its Reiatsu, it was a wonder the boy was sentient at all. In normal circumstances, the parents were to regulate the energy's flow and thus naturally exhaust the child with little to no risks for the young's life. However, he was alone. There was no one to guide him, no one to teach him how to let his reiatsu out without hurting himself. And with the two persons below working diligently on Masaki with their own Reiatsu outputs, there was no way for them to comprehend the severity of the situation just a floor above.

Unable to scream for help and feeling fatigued, the little one closed his eyes. Powerless to do much else, he instinctively called for help. The unspoken request was answered by a terrifying creature.

* * *

In an unknown dimension…

 _'How many centuries have come and gone by now? Wait, centuries? Nay, millenniums… eons… It sure has been a while since that fateful day.'_

Those were the thoughts of an individual, who resided in a dimly lit chamber, encased in a sturdy crystal.

 _'Urgh. If only I could rewind time, the same way I was capable to twist reality. Therein lies the biggest issue… I have long been stripped from my true might… Now, I am powerless… useless…'_

Indeed, the being had not moved in ages. Not that it could, it was stripped of his arms, legs and several other bodily parts. You'd think a living being would have died from blood-loss if subjected to a sudden removal of limbs and organs. And your presumption would be correct.

However, the sulking person was not among the living, nor one of the dead. He was a creature that transcended all creations… a God you may say.

A long time ago he was beautiful, full of life and intact. He had been one of the several chosen ones to be blessed and gifted with the same privileges and powers of the creator, the Mother of Beginnings.

Perhaps it had been his lifestyle which angered his brothers and sisters… Maybe the many affairs… Could it have been the way he had treated the inferior and filthy souls? He had been awful regardless of whether the soul was human, a plus, Hollow or even the damned.

Who knows? It might have been a combination of all factors, along with the birthing of an offspring. Ah! Yes, that could have been the thing which tipped the scale to his disadvantage. Had he been a better man, he would have kept the freak of nature. Yet, back then, he had behaved like a spoiled brat… a miserable scumbag.

Thinking back, he concluded he may have deserved his fate. After all, for one who had been granted magnificent powers by just existing, he had done nothing worthwhile. Instead, he stepped on everything and everyone, making life miserable for all those unfortunate to be near his scope of influence.

Even so, to know that his brothers and sisters were the one to betray and belittle him, was still a sore subject. He would have much preferred had the omnipotent Mother been the one to punish him for his many, many crimes. What's worse… those insolent bugs he called siblings, used the souls of the dead to capture him.

At the beginning, there was no such thing as Shinigami… they were created by one of his relatives. Once created they were given tasks and powers enough to fight against other creatures of equal or greater strength. An easy way to control the flow of souls in the afterlife.

How foolish he had been. He should have noticed that certain people were working behind his back… Some of his brothers were teaching the Shinigami magic offensive and defensive spells, which later developed into Kido. Choosing the strongest among the Shinigami, his siblings gave the 'selected ones' a special sealing incantation. Performed correctly, the procedure had the power to enslave even a God. In turn, such a feat required the entire life-force of the casters… meaning that those who participated in closing the lid to his previous life, perished… leaving no traces behind.

Yeah, you heard that right! The extreme skill brought the end to the lives of the Shinigami who performed the accursed ritual. That had been his only recompense for several decades… until he realized that the process had a downside. With the death of the Shinigami who performed the hex, all knowledge and data were lost with them, along with the chance of creating a counter spell. Entrapping him for all eternity.

Once blocked within that sphere, he was unable to escape, to move, to enjoy his existence. On top of that, he was given a job! The task was delicate and required a lot of concentration. He was to balance the proceeding of souls from one dimension to the other. While doing so, he was forced to feel and sense everything those souls had gone through.

Emotions… he did not use to have such a comical thing as sentiments. Yet, every soul which passed through his eyes… in other words… each and every single one, was packed full of feelings and all of that was filtered through his body, soul and mind. He indiscriminately had access to all their emotions, knowledge, happiness, pains and so forth.

Never had he grasped the meaning of having a heart nor did he considered how beautiful a sensation it was to be free. He had stupidly abused the gifted powers which had been strong enough to change fate and put a stop or even break the wheel of fortune. It was all pointless now. He had been defiled, cut to pieces and abandoned to do a single tedious task.

Freedom… He yearns for a second chance, an opportunity to be liberated from the invisible chains keeping him in the same spot. Especially after witnessing the many lives which come and go as they please. Well… not entirely as they please, but the vast majority had exactly that… a second opportunity to live again. Reincarnation…

Once he started to understand things properly and the way the World worked, he had searched for the essence of his son. The Demigod had grown to be a surprising man. It could hear, feel, see, talk… At first, he thought his memories played tricks on him as the mongrel wasn't able to do any of that before. Surprisingly it developed and grew entirely on its own and moved on in life as any other soul would. In fact, it became an Emperor…

How often had he mentally prayed to the young one to set him free? Too many times to keep count, that's for sure. And even while imploring, he knew it would not heed his pleas. Not for being selfish like his father. Not at all, but it was not strong enough to complete such a feat.

He could only be unsealed by something more… someone special who could surpass even his own flesh and blood. Call it chance or even providence, but one day he was under the impression he had found it. But that cherry blossom perished at a young age, never to be seen again.

Several years later, during one of his eye-sweeps through the **Dangai*** , he took notice of an unusual and extremely strong-willed spark. Any hopes that it was 'The One' were destroyed when he realized it was incomplete. Heck, it was broken beyond repair into minuscule pieces.

It was a miracle of its own he had seen the thing at all. Yes. It had been that little… smaller than a speck of dust. Disregarding it for a residue of some sorts, he looked ahead and, for a time, forgot all about it.

Months later, while spiritually roaming about the Dangai, around the same area, there, he gazed at it again. The little fleck had persisted so long, defying the **Koryu*** and **Kototsu*** time and time again. How it survived, was a guess to which he had no answers.

Just as he was about to break his mind in a futile attempt to figure out the mystery, the solution presented itself. Another miniature part showed-up and joined with the one he had encountered before. It then hit him… the spark was no leftover Reishi nor Reiatsu, it was a soul. Whomever it had belonged to, must had gone through a horrible ordeal to be segmented in such small fractions. Even so heavily damaged, it persevered.

Intrigued, he frequently watched the spark with renewed vigor. Slowly, one piece at the time, it started to become bigger to the point it couldn't hide itself from the Kototsu anymore. Day by day he saw its desire to live. Week by week it fought against the Koryu and Kototsu to just let it be so it could recuperate.

Acting on impulse, he reached out and grabbed the steadily growing light. He decided it would be safe and sound with him in his realm. He wanted to keep it away from the dangers of the World, the Shinigami and others. It was going to become his beacon of light in his otherwise dark and gloom captivity space.

In the following decades, the pesky little thing constantly stupefied him. Without pause, it emitted a pleasant and inviting aura which **it** used to call the missing segments. It wouldn't be such an incredible feat, had it not been locked up in an entirely different dimension like his palace. And surely enough, even with the distance and improbability of gathering the lost puzzle parts, it never ceased its attempts.

By the end of a sole century it was nearly fully restored, having found all fragments but five. **_A single century!_** It should have been impossible. But proof was right in front of his face, mocking his contradictions. Nonetheless, the spark was relentless and pushed on.

After a few more centuries, it was still missing the same five pieces. Without those, it was unable to be restored to its former glory nor would it be granted passage to the Rebirth Cycle.

The Godling admired the fiery spirit and held on to the spark with all his remaining might. Its futile attempts to complete itself and be granted passage through the rebirth process forevermore hindered by its incomplete status, for only whole souls were given the chance at rebirth.

Now, almost eight hundred years later, it had stayed the same… at his side, persistently trying in vain to assemble the remaining parts… never ceasing its calls or warmth. So much life, such determination and no possibilities to achieve the desired goal.

It came to the point where he was weeping alongside it. He had felt its heart, though incomplete… He received the full flare of its emotions… adoration, longing, resolve to fulfill a promise… love.

Nothing changed, but the ferocious battle the spark fought every single minute, hour, day to keep on existing continued. It was really persistent that's for sure. It refused to submit. Each moment it self-sustained, was a new accomplishment. And it had been locked under his observant eyes for almost 80 decades.

…What if… what if the spark was the answer to his own wishes and desires?

Surely a soul this stubborn who managed to survive with naught but the environment Reishi was more than worthy… It could grow strong, sturdy enough to possibly liberate him someday?

For the first time in eons, he felt hope… he had not lost the concept of what 'hope' was, for humans were surprisingly very inclined to that peculiar emotion. Now he too understood why it made such an impression in their short-lived existence.

Aw… He was about to break one of the strictest rules in the balancing of souls… But, hey, he had been forced to be the Soul King all this time. Therefore, he could allow to cut himself some slack.

It had never happened before, though. To let a shattered soul slip into the reincarnation cycle… it was beyond his comprehension. He dared not think what the consequences might be.

On the other hand, if he kept the information to himself, no one would ever know. It's not like anyone else checks on his forced work. And maybe… just maybe it will never be discovered… especially if the spark continued its search and reunited with its last five fragments. Besides… he was already trapped and stripped of his powers… surely there couldn't be a worst punishment than that? The worst-case scenario was for him to be eliminated… that would be a blessing compared to his current position.

Wanting to expedite the process, before he had a change of heart, he rummaged through the many living souls in all three spheres. He cared not if he would allow it to return as a Hollow, human or Shinigami… In his haste, he found two very bizarre souls in the Human world.

Ho! They were special… yes… he instantly liked them… they would be the perfect parents for his spark.

With a last glance at the flame that had kept him company for so long, he set his mind straight and let it go, pushing it into the Cycle of Rebirth.

Soon it would be reborn and it could start accumulating the missing pieces… and who knows… perhaps it will live long enough to repay its debt by setting him free.

He would retain a vigilant eye on its progress… what were a few more decades filled with optimism compared to the millennia he had spent in his solitary anguish with no opportunities to escape? He liked his new chances.

 _'Go little spark, live again…In time, you **will** grant me my well-deserved and long-awaited retirement… One way or the other, you will be the one to set me free.'_

* * *

No sound… no impression… no consciousness of the ambient nor one's own reality…

 _Nothingness_ … it was the oblivion preceding the burst of sensations and awareness experienced moments before being brought forth into the vast world.

This is how everyone is created… Hollows, Humans, Plus, Shinigami and even Zanpakuto.

The first step is the same, regardless of what kind of being you are. You star by becoming alert of your own existence. Then, slowly we start to comprehend what goes around. Curiosity is piqued and eyes open in an intuitive desire to satisfy the need for knowledge.

Most will see a person… another creature close by, sometimes even two. If lucky enough, one would hold them in a comfortable position, while another stood at a hand's length. That was how a newborn should be welcomed into the world.

Unfortunately, that was not always the case.

Every individual acted differently. Some are unable of coming to terms with the new reality of parenthood, others are scared or downright repulsed and let us not forget those who are simply not interested in their new roles. With the wide arrange of beings, each different in its own way, with various experiences, wishes or possibilities, it is hard to determine who is a suitable candidate to be a true parent.

Though, there are other situations. Hollows, for one, the moment they awake, are faced with a cruel concept: "Survival of the fittest". With right! Their parents believed that if the youngling was capable to see, it was able to flee. From day one, Hollows are meant to fight for their change at life.

Hard to believe, but there is yet to be a natural born Hollow who did not meet at least one of its guardians, let alone, one who had not been instructed on how to follow instincts in order to survive. Call it bad parenting if you wish, but in ding so, born Hollows are at least given a chance to know who they are and what to do in order to live. The rest, was solely upon the shoulders of the youngling.

Zanpakuto, on the other hand, are probably the least fortunate group. There is no such thing as parents, siblings or other relatives. No heartwarming welcome when they first open their eyes. Naught but a void, for at that point their world is yet to be formed and stabilized.

Heck, the blessed ones got to see something concrete through the eyes of their wielders. And even than it was when their owners were older. Such an accomplishment was a rare skill developed between a Zanpakuto and its holder. A Zanpakuto could use this innate skill but it requires tons and tons of Reiatsu. Therefore, most were left to float in a void for several decades.

Zanpakuto are also the fastest learner which is contributed to the fact they are made with inborn intel. They know their roles, their purpose and whom they belong to, all in one go. They are mostly aware of their powers, skills and talents. Unique Zanpakuto even have data stored from their previous life and or former user.

But data from old life is scarce since it is unlikely for a Zanpakuto to get the same wielder. This is due to the reason that souls who go through the re-birthing process rarely come to be exactly the same as in their previous existence.

The slightest change in the circumstances of a wielder's birth was enough to create a completely new and unique Zanpakuto. Not to mention, there is a crazy legend which clearly states that at least one of the holder's parents has to be a reincarnated relative from the old time. In short, either the father or mother had to be the same, with same or similar powers and properties.

Chances of that happening are one in a trillion and perhaps none existent. It is largely believed that this occurrence is utterly impossible for several reasons. The parent's soul had to be reborn in an adequate setting with the strengths it possessed in their first life. Only then could it pass the necessary materials to its offspring. From there, the reborn soul has to develop and nurture the parent's assets in a comparable fashion it had while alive. Far too many coincidences and quirks have to be aligned. That's why, it has been unheard of and belongs in the 'Myth department'.

Zanpakuto who once lived within one's soul, could at occasions, return into another but during the process, they become a new creation. This is because Zanpakuto, in essence, are formed from a fragment of a Shinigami's or Reiatsu fulled soul.

Being the beings with high Reiatsu levels, Shinigami are taught how to cultivate and control their energy. Once they reach a certain level, they are issued a 'nameless' Zanpakuto, also known as 'Asauchi'. The next step is to continuously use the sword until they imprint a part of themselves into it, thus, share a portion of their soul and create a connection with the core transferred within the blade.

It is sad that in their long lives they hardly ever acknowledge their Zanpakuto as an extension of their own being. A part of themselves that had been born with them, who had seen and felt the same sensations the Shinigami themselves did. Most Shinigami end up believing a Zanpakuto is but a tool they can use to increase their own strength. Which is both true and false.

Yes, the weapon itself, is nothing more than a conduit in which a Shinigami stores a portion of its soul which would in time raise to become their 'Zanpakuto'. By sharing their Reiatsu, they give that soul segment the nutrition it needs to sustain and develop itself. Due to the long separation from the original source, what with being trapped in a sword item. A Zanpakuto will grow to accept the Shinigami's lack of information and eventually, it will believe to be a separate being.

As mentioned, Zanpakuto are aware of their duties and skills, yet they do not share their knowledge with a Shinigami unless they were assured the wielder was strong enough. How do they know if a Shinigami is ready? Simple… their wielder starts to intuitively create their Inner World. Once assured that the holder was worthy, a Zanpakuto appears first in dreams and later takes a Shinigami to the created World. Inner Worlds represent the Shinigami's soul as much as their Zanpakuto, thus both entities feel at ease and peace while within the created space.

This is the time when a Zanpakuto wishes to become more connected to the person they were to be with and assist. In their need, the two will begin to converse and in due time they synchronize to the extent in which a Shinigami instinctively knows the Zanpakuto's name.

At times, Zanpakuto disclose their names to their wielders when they feel the time is right. In this case, a Shinigami can end up either hearing it or not. It all depends on the strength of the connection the two identities share.

With the course of time, a Shinigami will challenge its mostly doubted 'Sword' in a duel for the chance to achieve Bankai. Zanpakuto are always aware if their Shinigami is ready or not for the mental, physical and psychological stress it would have to endure. After all, attaining Bankai is nothing more than forcing a part of yourself into 'Submission'. Acknowledging your fortes and weaknesses while understanding there was more to the connection and your Zanpakuto than what you might have believed for years… Yeah… not pleasant at all.

Even so, Zanpakuto's feel a sensation of greatness whenever their holders reach that new level. And, though, conscious they would never be recognized as anything but a helpful hand in times of needs, they were glad and proud their 'Masters' were mighty and powerful. At least, they were assured their counterparts would not die easily, meaning they themselves could live that much longer.

So, here it was… a Zanpakuto about to blink for the first time in ages. Although, this one was a strange one. At first glance, it could be mistaken for a Hollow rather than a Zanpakuto spirit. If it could stand straight and tall in his currently empty space, it would be about 9'6'', with porcelain white skin and golden eyes in an inky black background.

As it was, the creature was on all fours, with clawed hands and feet and a face covered by a permanent 'smiling' mask with two red lines which could pass as permanent tattoos. You can easily tell the mask is an integrated part of the face as it had no beginning nor end. It was just there. Normally, it should have at least an indication that it could be removed, but so far it was impossible to say for certain.

As for the markings, both were on the left side of the face-mask. One starts an inch below the eye and stretches across the cheek, only to slightly curve upwards. The second one is just above the spot where the left eyebrow should be. It is a very short line, going towards the hairline, but not really reaching that high.

Hip-length ragged orange hair, with the occasional black and white highlight scattered around, seems vivacious and full of life. A much warmer and pleasant view, compared to the scary front face. The body is well built and toned as though ready for battle or tearing others apart.

Three sharp spikes on each shoulder assure no hugs or fooling around as do the talons at the end of the feet. Another fascinating feature, is the long and thick tail which starts from the tailbone and is about 4'5'' long.

Even so, fear not, the enormous one is not entirely nude. Although the upper body is completely exposed, displaying a fearsome and strong individual, low white Hakama pants strapped with a black belt, cover the lower regions. The Hakama themselves are incomplete as they reach to the knees and are rather tattered at the ends.

All in all, it looks like a figure straight out of a 'Beast Brochure', ready to shred any and all opponents into stripes and finger-food.

Shaking its head in a vain attempt to clear its sight from the void surrounding it, the Zanpakuto blinked several times before getting its wits about the situation at hand.

 _'Urgh! What happened? I feel like I was asleep for a while… There was something important to do… Oh, right! **He** had to be saved… no… **we** were already dying before that happened… But then…what? Ichigo… Yes… he used it… he was already one foot in the grave and we couldn't use regeneration… that bloody cursed monster and its poison…'_

A gurgling sound came out of the creature, while it flickered its tail up and down as though hoping to destroy something or alleviate bits of its stress.

 _'ARGH! Pisses me off just thinking about it! May that fiend be cursed for all lifetimes! Ok, back on track… So… we fought… got poisoned and then went bum. Of course, that was when his Aibou made it and we took the device into us. Oh! Then we both blew up! Wonder what came afterwards? As far as I remember, we were told the contraption had the property of destroying a soul to smithereens… Which means, I shouldn't be here… wherever this is… Though, it does have a homey feeling.'_

Abruptly the tail stopped its movements as the newly reborn Zanpakuto came to a conclusion.

 _'Could it be we got a second chance? Is that even possible?... Must be, I do feel almost the same… Heh… another miracle… Really now, he should have been named **Kichi*** not Ichigo.'_

Any amusing thoughts were interrupted as the Zanpakuto felt a nauseating wave of fear. It had been a long time since he had sensed that particular emotion. With that sensation, all memories came flooding back… its first birth and its wielder, his change from a monster to a proper Zanpakuto, their shared life, achievements, fails… loved ones, enemies… It all came in one blow. Fortunately, 'Zangetsu', for that was the Zanpakuto's name, was already on all fours, else he might have fallen and could have been lost within the darkness.

Feeling a strong material under its claws, Zangetsu grabbed a hold of it long enough to get his bearing around and figure out what was going on. Never a moment of peace and quiet with Ichigo involved. Everything had to be complicated or overly dangerous. Clutching anything concrete, even though invisible, was but a reflexive reaction.

A call… something…no… not quite… someone was reaching out for him.

 _'Ichigo? It can't be! Even should it be true that we're back, he should be barely out of the womb. Something is not right. SHOOT! Back then there was no one to direct his Reiatsu… Looks like it's happening again. Wait for me, I'm coming!'_

Closing his eyes, the Zanpakuto concentrated on its holder as much as possible, trying to do the one thing which he believed would save the young one's life… materialization. If Zangetsu could force materialization, he could start controlling the flow of Reiatsu. Luckily, materialization took a great chunk of Reiatsu, thus regulating anything leftover should be easy.

The problem would be to protect the little one if Ichigo was in danger. Materialization would take it all out of them both… if on top of that he had to fight… well, he was hoping it wouldn't happen. Praying for the best, he finally made the connection and forced himself out from the Inner and into the Living World.

* * *

Within the Shadow Realm of the Wandenreich one hooded figure was moving swiftly throughout the Castle. Its direction a hidden chamber near the Throne Room.

Soren was late… oh so very late it was absurd. Yet again, he had gone to the World of the Living only to return empty-handed.

It has been several years since the 'Experimental Disaster' as he so aptly dubbed it.

He had lost an experiment which he had been sure got murdered. Then, the same sample showed up in the World of the Living only to fight against a Taichou and losing his miraculous existence thanks to an arrow to the head, courtesy of Masaki whom he had yet to locate.

All in all, the whole deal had been a fiasco. He knew the Hollow had injured the Taichou and bitten Masaki. That in turn meant, he should have been able to see through both souks and in time control the Shinigami. Yet, he was aware that Masaki would not live for long. With the poison running through her veins she would either die or become an impure Quincy. He personally hopped for the latter, for he had been under the impression she was traveling with someone capable. Still, that had not been the full case either.

After the meeting with the Quincies and Shinigami, he had returned to Wandenreich to catch on some sleep. The following day, he tried to use the Hollow's influence within Masaki and the Shinigami.

The connection through Masaki was barely there, so he had been sure it had been dulled by whomever she was roaming around with. The link to the Shinigami, on the other side, should have been stronger. But the guy was a powerhouse, which meant the Taichou was indirectly pushing the Hollow's control down without being aware of its presence.

Shortly thereafter, he utterly lost all signals from both individuals. That should have been possible only if the two perished. He had refused to believe Masaki was gone again… It had been bad enough the first time he screwed-up, not to mention the unexpected incident a couple of decades ago. But without proof of life, he slowly berated himself for getting her indirectly killed… again…

Months later, he sensed a tiny connection back to the Shinigami Taichou… only the guy was now a human! Such a complex puzzle to which he had yet to find a solution. Bit by bit, he forced the Hollow's influence to the surface. He had to tread carefully, for there was no Reiatsu in the ex-Shinigami to direct the flow of the Hollow's energy and not enough power to 'hide' it. On top of that, he had to make sure it did not influence the male's behavior, his personality or appearances.

Through the ex-Taichou, he had seen Masaki… she was alive and in high spirits, as always… Although, he realized she had already fallen head-over-heels in love with the stupid Taichou. That had been a blow to his heart, mind and most of all… his plans.

A shame really. Not only that, but since he had to manipulate the Shinigami subtly, he was unable to tell where in the Hell they were living! Oh, yes! He knew they were together. He saw the nuptials! Even worse, he witnessed the wedding night and pregnancy.

All in all, everything was going downhill in that department. The worthless Quincy were unable to track her down, though Haschwalth had given several good pointers on where to search for her.

Oh well, at least it seemed that Huber was gradually winning Haschwalth to their side. In recent years, that was the sole recompense he had gained. PePe was working diligently and unsuccessfully trying to cast his 'Love' on Haschwalth, but the guy was not the Grandmaster just for fun. To catch Haschwalth off-guard… It would take a miracle… or someone on the same skill level as the Emperor himself.

Doubtless, only someone of the same level or higher would be able to surprise Haschwalth. The blonde was always on top of everything going on in the Shadow realm… Well, mostly _everything_ … Soren had made sure the other was kept in the dark when it came to his schemes and plans… at least until he was certain the Grandmaster was willing to work for him and forget the Quincy King.

Of all the people within the cold palace, Haschwalth was the hardest to pry. Even so, he was confident that sooner or later even Haschwalth would fall victim to his own cravings, emotions and desires. At that point, Soren had to merely make him an offer he couldn't refuse. Everything and everyone has a price and Haschwalth is no exception.

Naturally, since he had been under the illusion that Masaki was gone, he had changed some of his plans accordingly. He was engrossed in Quincy research and methods in which he could get his hands on a prime subject. The catch is that not many Quincies are left and he couldn't do much with those within Wandenreich as they were either his 'allies' or soon to be soldiers.

Much to his chagrin, he had been unable to get any good samples for any of his latest experiments. As for the Shinigami, he managed to catch ten Academy students from various years which he had given to his Shinigami scientists, who were nowhere near his IQ level. All in all, those obnoxious idiots accomplished absolutely nothing.

Honestly, he alone had been able to figure out more on his own centuries ago, while these wannabe idiots played around like children. On the bright side, this meant they were slow and the rest of his Shinigami followers who yearned for power, had no choice but to patiently wait.

Thinking about the Shinigami made him remember that a certain Kuchiki was still among the living. The few 'assassination strategies' he had given to the murderous duo had somehow failed. Not due to his designs of course… but because of lucky circumstances and unexpected changes. He had yet to form a new plan of action, but so far, the two were in no rush. Apparently, Shinigami really did not have the same sense of time as the Quincies or Humans. A blessing for Soren.

Now, speaking of the Quincy. He had noticed small changes in the demeanor of a few of his accomplices. The new researcher team he had created was proof of that. Which reminded him, he had to make haste or he would not get the chance to see the fruit of their work bloom.

With renewed vigor, Soren took off in a burst of Shunpo, hoping to gain some precious seconds. The trial he was late for, was going to determine weather he should continue with the crazy idea he had or not. If it succeeded, it meant he could gain the upper hand with or without Masaki at his side. It all rode on the latest report… with any luck, it was about to be positive. Then…well, all bets were off…

* * *

Zangetsu had to blink several times. Compared to the void he had just came out from, this place was bright! He had no doubts that he made it into the material world. After all, he could sense his wielder's presence.

Finally adjusting to the colors and the capability to see again, he realized he was in a rather small, cozy chamber. The room itself felt bare… like it was missing something. Thankfully, there weren't many things around. He was still adjusting to his new enlarged size. _'Was I always this big or did the world shrunk in our absence? Nah! Must be just my imagination and old form. I did perish as a Vasto Lorde, so I'm probably back to the Adjucha level. Not my favorite, but I'll make sure to push Ichigo's training extra hard. I hate this form.'_

Grumbling in a deep tone he took a closer look at his new surroundings. He could tell the room was incomplete, as though waiting for a certain someone to grow up. Cream colored walls, brown floor, a brown wooden door leading somewhere else, two cream-beige closets connected to each other with a weird handle… it was on the inside as thought you were to 'slide' the doors open or something. He was lucky to determine those things were a closet, they were almost part of the wall itself!

Scoffing at the ridiculous item he turned around noticing exactly what he was searching for… A sand colored baby-crib with white covers, sheets and pillows as well as a precious bundle.

The tiny baby appeared to be asleep. That alone spurred him into action. Moving towards the child, he felt the reiatsu surrounding it. It was dense, heavy and powerful. Yup, Ichigo was still a powerhouse, but at the moment that was not very welcomed. The reiatsu was slowly but surely squashing and killing its own source.

Without further ado Zangetsu approached the baby and extended a black claw towards its small frame. The moment his nail connected with the child's chest, he forced the reiatsu out of the baby and into his form. The rush of power was thrilling… Materialization took tons of power and by the looks of things, the little one had even more…

That was weird. Zangetsu swore Ichigo had even more Reiatsu than before. He did remember well… His first materialization back then… It had been painful and he barely kept at it for over a minute. Now though, he felt as though he could be visible for an hour without breaking a sweat. No wonder Ichigo called for help… this much Reiatsu should crush any being to dust, especially one so young.

Focusing on pulling as much energy from the young one as he dared, he thought of their past. He hoped Ichigo would have a better life this time around. Though, he was not convinced. The little one was left all alone just like then… Neither one of the parents anywhere nearby to monitor and exhaust the baby of its Reiatsu reserves… Had he come even a minute later, Ichigo would not have made it.

That realization made him pause. Just how much energy did Ichigo have this time around? He was re-created, got his memories back and even materialized all in the span of a few minutes. Could it be Ichigo was on the same level as back then?

 _'No. That is not likely. For if that was the case, I too would be on the same level… It's just probably an extra boost he has from his new family. If both parents are mighty, by default, he too will be that much stronger. Sheesh. Whoever his parents are must be either blind or senseless… How could they have left him all alone with no outlet? That was the least they could have done for him!'_

Any and all thoughts running rampant in Zangetsu's head were stopped when big deep-blue eyes opened to stare at him.

"Damn! Why did you have to awaken now? Couldn't you just wait until I returned to our Inner World? Now you're going to get frightened and cry out. Not that I could blame you for that. Any sane creature would get scarred shitless, especially one as small as you."

Zangetsu's words were lost to the child's ears, all it came out from the Zanpakuto were gabbles and rumbling sounds. Having recessed back to his Adjucha shape, Zangetsu was unable to talk properly. It was something he would gain once he resumed his Vasto Lorde form. Normally, other Hollows were able to communicate when they reached Adjucha level. Though, with Ichigo and himself, there was always something different from the norm.

The child cutely moved its head to the right with a slight pout and inquisitive look. Zangetsu would have slapped himself if he wasn't concentrating intently on Ichigo's Reiatsu. How could he forget his talkative skills were non-existent? Not only that, Ichigo was a newborn baby, there was no way he could understand.

Huffing out a breath, he braced himself for the inevitable scream of terror. Only… it never happened. The innocent child was still looking at him as if searching for an answer to an unspoken question. Soon after, the child giggled. The giggling turned into a warm laughter only a baby was capable of.

The whole scene left one Zanpakuto very baffled. His eyes widened in surprise. His mask was on the verge of opening up in shock. Just what the heck? The little one should be sacred beyond words… instead it was smiling at the monstrosity that invaded his room and was currently holding a sharp appendage to his chest.

Tiny hands were shaking in mirth and trying to reach for the one nail touching his body. The baby had absolutely no fear, no panic and was trying to convey its thanks to the kind spirit who removed the bad sensation away. Incapable of speech, the child instinctively turned to amusement and happiness, hoping to at least share its appreciation in that way.

A full minute later, Zangetsu was still motionless. Being a part of Ichigo's soul he understood what the kid was doing. But it was still amazing that Ichigo was not scared of him. Closing his eyes, he smiled. How could he have even thought that his Ichigo would be afraid of him? They were irrevocably linked together and no matter what happened Ichigo will always be able to count on Zangetsu and vice versa. It's just who they were. Two beings within one soul.

Feeling reassured, Zangetsu did something he could not recall doing in the past. He came even closer to the crib and took the baby in its arms. Embracing Ichigo close to his chest, he let out a long purr of happiness and satisfaction to which the child responded by cheerfully babbling away.

On a deep level, they were already accepting each other and Zangetsu made a silent promise to keep things this way. He would always be by the other's side to guide and protect him from everything and anyone who would hurt the youngster.

A pang of guilt made way through his heart. Just remembering their past was hard enough. But seeing Ichigo again made him all but forget about it. This time he would make sure Ichigo was ready. There will be none of the previous hesitations or insecurities.

When he first opened his eyes in his past life, Zangetsu had met with a scary individual who was not a Zanpakuto, but still a fragment of their wielders power. It had taken him years to comprehend what it meant or how to work together with the other spirit. Looking back at the child he was holding tightly in his hands, he could tell several things were off.

First and foremost, that part of his powers was deeply asleep, nowhere near being close at hand. Which meant, Ichigo would have only him for quite some time. He'd have to work even more that what he originally thought. But at least, he was going to have this opportunity to be at his side from the very beginning and not towards the end.

Another good part was that he felt completely himself, not like the monstrosity he had been at the beginning. Yes, in their first lifetime, he had been a foul creature. He had assisted Ichigo only to keep him alive so he could live as well. Ossan had done the rest. Hell, he even went as far as to keep Zangetsu in a cage for most his life.

Once Ichigo met his mate on their second encounter, something happened and he was changed for the better. He could not remember exactly what the pale man had done… but it seems like it won't be necessary.

Still, he was mesmerized Ichigo retained even a sliver of his Quincy powers. After all, he had done **_that_** to himself to keep the Emperor around. If he saw the other guy, he'd give him a piece of his mind.

So deep in thoughts he was, he never noticed how Ichigo stopped laughing or when the child started to feel strange again. The echo of an empty belly brought Zangetsu back to the present. Looking down at his charge, he was confused.

 _'Did Ichigo make that sound? Ah… of course… the little one must be hungry… with right! After all the Reiatsu I just absorbed from him, no wonder he is ravenous. Shooting Stars! Where in the hell are his parents now?!'_

Closing his eyes once again, Zangetsu concentrated on his surroundings. Judging by the myriad of souls he sensed in the vicinity, they must be in a village or city of some sorts. There were definitely a lot more people than what he could remember. Concentrating even more, he tried to focus on the closest living beings in his premises.

He soon found three Reiatsu. One was very weak and near death, while the remaining two felt frantic and were working diligently on keeping the dying one alive. Well, this was easy to understand. With how powerful Ichigo was, it was unsurprising. The mother must have used all her strength just to deliver the baby and was now being assisted by the father and one more person. Since he could not sense anyone else in the vicinity, Zangetsu figured out he would be the one in search of food.

"Oh well, no choice. Let's get this party started. Sorry Ichi, why don't you wait for me here? I'll be back with something good."

The deep grunts which came out of Zangetsu caught the little one's attention. Ichigo was on the verge of tears but calmed down thanks to the vibrations caused by Zangetsu's attempts at talking. Somehow, the baby felt content as though the huge person holding him was a good friend. The child did protest when the big white creature lowered him down on the baby-bed, yet more grunts and noises kept him from screaming. Watching intently, he saw his 'friend' crouch on his hands and feet and leave his sights. Saddened he wanted to wail in despair, but something told him not to. A part of him knew that the other had simply gone to help him out. Although, his child's mind was not capable to comprehend just what it needed.

Zangetsu, on the other side of the door, was having a hard time orienting in the new space. His knowledge of the former living arrangement was minimal and this one looked even more puzzling than the previous one. Using his senses and nose, he tried to pin point at least the eating zone where he hoped he would find nutrition for Ichigo.

It was much harder than you could imagine. The pungent smell of fresh blood was overriding all others and it took him a while to get used to it enough to ignore it. There were so many new and unique odors that made his task even more difficult.

Choosing to go with the flow and to avoid being seen by anyone, he went down the stairs and was baffled at the new room he stumbled upon. Many things he was familiar with from his old life, but many more were new and a mystery to the poor Zanpakuto.

Concentrating on the main table, he hoped a solution would present itself. The table was full of bags of a new material with dozens of trinkets. Rummaging through them, he saw pictures of babies on multiple things he presumed were bottles. The material was still weird, but hopefully they would do.

The next challenge presented itself right away. What to put inside the bottles? Moving to another bag, he saw a colored box with words and a baby picture. It was saying something about powder and a formula? Zangetsu really hoped this was the correct item.

Opening the thing was easy but seeing all the powder inside made him hiss in aggravation. How was he supposed to feed Ichigo with powder? Before he annihilated the insulting box, he noticed some more words written on the back of it. Apparently, the instructions on how to make it edible. Mixing water and powder together following the detailed information he finally managed to make one bottle. There was something saying about heating the damned thing but he simply ignored it. Its not like he knew how to warm the thing up without making it explode.

Going back to the nursery, he found Ichigo laying down with a cute pout. The child's face displayed discomfort and upset. Approaching the little one, he gently hovered above it and tried to place the bottle in its mouth. Not even two mouthfuls later, Ichigo spat everything out. Who knew the little imp was so difficult? Thinking back to the instructions and remembering he was supposed to make it warm, Zangetsu tried to do exactly that. He continued to hold the bottle in his hand while infusing it slowly with Reiatsu to 'warm it up'. Satisfied with his attempts, he tried to feed Ichigo once more. This time the young one did not spit and fervently drank the full bottle leaving not a single drop behind.

Feeling full and sated the child easily fell into a peaceful slumber. Happy with his achievement Zangetsu decided to stay for a little bit or for as long as he could sustain his form in the Living World. The calm and steady breathing of the newborn lulled the Zanpakuto into sleep, subconsciously Zangetsu returned to their Inner World, for now content with the situation at hand.

It would be several hours later that he would wake up thanks to yet another call from his wielder. Thankfully, he had continued to sap Reiatsu from Ichigo even in his sleep, therefore he knew it was not an emergency call. Judging from the quiet call, Ichigo was hungry once more.

After materializing, he wondered how come Ichigo's parents did not come to check on the young's life? Surely, they must have thought about him at least once? Ignoring a sense of déjà-vu, he went back down to the feeding area and prepared one more bottle. While turning around he was met by a strange person who was staring at him with an expression of surprise, fear and curiosity all in one.

Tilting his head to the side, Zangetsu wondered just what was going on in the other's head? He could understand surprise and fear, after all, he looked like a Hollow. But for some reason, he couldn't figure out why he would sense curiosity.

Concluding that it was none of his business, he proceeded to warm the bottle of milk in his hand. Once satisfied the food was ready, he moved carefully around the still stupefied man and made his way up the stairs and into Ichigo's chamber.

His movements must have broken the guy's trance, for he swiftly moved to follow him. Before either could enter the baby's room, Zangetsu turned to face the strange man and growl in warning. If this guy so much as touched a hair on his wielder he would reduce him to mincemeat.

Zangetsu was a little peeved his rumble did not have the usual effect on this one, normally, people would run over the hills to get away from his roars. Huffing out a displeased breath, he opened the door and went straight for Ichigo. Ignoring the persistent bug behind him, he took Ichigo in his large hands. Once Ichigo was secured to his chest and on his left hand, he sat cross-legged on the floor and proceeded to feed the young life with his right hand.

 _'Wow. He sure is hungry. Just how long have we been asleep? And where in the hell are his parents? I get it that the mother was not feeling well and needed to recuperate. Still, someone should have at least made sure he had something to eat. Heck! They should have had someone close at hand to guide his Reiatsu out. Lucky bastards should be thankful I was around to take care of us.'_

Zangetsu dedicated himself completely to Ichigo, fully disregarding the dazed male in the weird outfit. Now that he thought about it, the guy did look creepy with his green clothes, the weird green and white stripped hat, clogs and a cane he was holding in a threatening manner.

 _'Meh, as long as he doesn't get too close to either of us, I won't attack. All bets are off the moment he makes a move towards us.'_

Soon the bottle was empty and the child was full yet again. Zangetsu barely refrained himself from cooing at the little one and its attempts at chatting. The sun was about to set, giving the room an ethereal orange glow. Zangetsu felt it was rather appropriate given the boy's tiny orange locks which flared even brighter for a few moments. Even in its current state, Ichigo's Reiatsu and spirit shined through the impeding darkness. The mere sight had Zangetsu recalling even more memories, some better than others, mind you. Yet, the many spectacular ones came forth.

Wave after wave of memories, all fleeting in Zangetsu's head left one Zanpakuto perplexed. As much as he could tell, Ichigo and by default he himself, were destroyed beyond the point of fixing. Even so, here they were, reunited under a sun-set in a very similar fashion they first met.

He was concerned. In their previous life, he had been awful to Ichigo until he was changed. This time though, there was no Ossan to keep him in line. Simultaneously, he was much better than before. Therefore, he should be fine… right? What upset him the most was the fact that Ichigo's first hours in the Living World were essentially the same as before, yet his were different. No matter how much he tried to mull the information in his mind, he could not find a concrete answer to his dilemmas.

Perhaps this was better for the both of them. They could grow together much more powerful. And who knows, maybe this time they could spend more time together learning from one another. Wouldn't that be awesome.

He wondered simultaneously if his brother was still up and around. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on the familiar Reiatsu, only to come empty handed. That was worrisome. What could have happened to his little brother? Was he alive but somewhere out of reach? Or did he and his wielder die? With his mind in turmoil, he involuntarily affected Ichigo's mood. The sensitive child could tell something was bothering the nice giant. Unable to do much to alleviate the sorrow he could not understand; the little child raised his hands towards the tremendous face caressing it gently.

The soft strokes made Zangetsu purr in delight. There was no better feeling than the knowledge that your wielder was not afraid of your monstrous form. So far, Ichigo had displayed many emotions, but fear towards him was not among them. Such a refreshing sensation.

By now, the sun was gone and replaced by the shadow of night. With a big yawn, the child made itself more comfortable on those strong hands, cuddling and falling asleep. Zangetsu patted the head carefully until he could feel the young one's deep breaths on his skin. Assured Ichigo was in a deep slumber, he proceeded to place him back on the crib.

Safely tucked under the blankets, Zangetsu made sure to send a menacing glare towards the unmoving individual. He might have all but forgotten about him, but Zangetsu could not leave Ichigo alone if there was a threat. Since the guy did not make any moves against either one of them, he concluded he was not an enemy. The good old scowl would make sure the other did not get any ideas. Should he feel any disturbances not even the Gods would be able to save the weirdo from his rage.

With a last silent snarl at the unknown man, Zangetsu retreated into Ichigo's minds-cape and their shared Inner World. He was sure there would be no issues. There was yet to be a fool crazy enough to disregard his warnings. Fading from the Living World, he missed the amazed expression on the male he left behind in Ichigo' room. He'd deal with any nuisances when it was needed. For now, he too required a well-deserved rest.

* * *

If one was to ask Urahara Kisuke how he was faring, they would receive the stare of the century. He was exhausted and fairly worn out. To receive a call in the middle of the night asking for his assistance in child-birthing was not on the list of things he liked. Never-mind that it was the very first time anyone asked **_his_** assistance for such a delicate process. He preferred to but-himself-in without anyone's call and do things his way, thank you very much.

Nonetheless, he was glad he had been selected. The ex-Shinigami Taichou Shiba Isshin, turned Kurosaki Isshin, was many thing, but a coward was not among that list. A frantic call from such a man surely meant serious business. Since he had also a promise to keep towards an alarmingly powerful Quincy Emperor it was not like he could outright refuse either way.

The Jureichi was finally settling down in the city and caused for swarms of Hollows to appear on a daily basis. He was having his hands full on making sure to keep the city and its citizens safe without getting too much attention from either the Shinigami or other unwanted prying eyes. Namely one Aizen Sosuke.

In short, he was having the time of his life. Plenty of research materials, a happy Yoruichi in Soul Society along with not one but two spies and tons of data collected from mentioned moles. On the other side, there was only so much he could do on his own. Blessed be Tessai. Honestly, had it not been for the spectacles wearing male, he would have overworked himself to an early grave.

The beginning was hard. Knowing that your partners for a delicate operation were a true born hybrid and the infamous Quincy King was no laughing matter. In the past few years, they successfully infiltrated the Academy and became popular guys with good marks, but not over-the-top students since they were from **Kusajishi*** one of the worst Rukongai districts.

The Quincy King entered as **Hino* Tomoya*** while Shirosaki-san came to be **Kurohoshi* Akira***. He personally found the names to be hilariously fitting.

Ever since then, the two managed to also gather an interesting amount of intel on Aizen, information he wouldn't have been able to attain by any other means than to have someone constantly in Soul Society. Their greatest achievement was to get Ichimaru Gin to their side along with preventing several well-prepared assassinations against Kuchiki Byakuya.

Best of all, saving Byakuya kept Yoruichi-san happy and a happy Yoruichi meant less of a headache for him in the long run. It also meant she would stay in Seireitei for a while and his food and sake supplies could stay intact. All in all, the deal had been a true bargain, since all he had to do was to keep one girl safe.

Yes, his agreement had been a sweet one. Especially since Masaki was such a well-behaved lady. As time passed, she requested less and less visits from her unofficial guardians. From a teenager she bloomed into a beautiful woman, started to date the former Shiba-Taichou and here he was rushing to the newly established Kurosaki residence to assist her in giving birth to their first child.

Time sure flies. He felt as though it had been only yesterday that he was teaching a forcefully retired Shinigami human ways and how to open a clinic. Paperwork aside, Isshin had been an eager student and managed to get on his own feet in no time.

Yet another reason why he was so out of his mind at having been called at such ungodly hours to assist in something that should be both natural and an everyday occurrence in the life of a 'doctor'.

Before he left, he assigned Tessai with the duty of keeping the town 'Hollow-free'. Reaching the Kurosaki's, he couldn't suppress a shudder that went down his spine. Now he understood why they needed him. There was a huge output of Reiatsu which was in danger of breaking the many shields he had placed not too long ago.

Thinking back to when he placed the barriers, he did recall Masaki's pale face and her request for certain medicine which would help her produce more Reiatsu. Being a Quincy, the mere suggestion had been suspicious as she could absorb the Reishi in the air and make it her own. As per her words, she was constantly doing that, but it was simply not enough. The unborn baby was sapping much more than what she could produce.

Given her reactions to the first few Reishi batches he had made, he was ready to suggest abortion. Nevertheless, she declined even before he could voice such an idea. She was so happy and proud her baby was growing strong within her, she outright refused to give up on the child stating she just needed something to help her on the way.

Well, it sure looks like those pills did a wonderful job in the end. Now though, it was too much Reiatsu accumulated in one spot and they would have to separate the two beings before something disastrous happened.

As he was about to knock on the door, a disheveled Isshin came out grabbing him by the arm and guiding him to the clinic side of the house. Masaki was still holding strong, but her face displayed pain and a healthy dose of fear.

By his estimates the safest way to get the child was via a c-section. The operation was a great success and the newborn came out fairly unharmed. Still, the sudden removal of the chibi-powerhouse left internal damage within Masaki and her own energy was leaking out in dangerous amounts.

The next several hours were spent in trying to save Masaki's life. He could not remember a time he had used so much energy as for this particular case. With a sideways glance he did realize Isshin got the child somewhere else and resumed his care over Masaki. Together, using modern human medicine and Shinigami healing methods, they managed to save Masaki from certain death.

All in all, they spent roughly 15 hours from the moment he had been called forth. Isshin took a now sleeping Masaki to their chambers leaving Urahara to his own devices, not before telling him to make himself comfortable and at home. The exhausted sap even went as far as to tell him there was an empty guest room somewhere on the upper level.

Kisuke stayed behind to clean the leftover mess. He believed both Isshin and Masaki would greatly benefit from such a small action. At least the two will not be reminded of the whole situation first thing in the morning when they wake-up the next day.

Done with his self-appointed task, he made way towards the kitchenette with all the intentions to make something edible. Imagine his surprise to be met face-to-face with a Hollow. At first, he was ready to strike the creature down, but he was cut short when the beast growled lowly in his throat and he noticed the item it was holding in its hands. A baby bottle filled with a milky substance.

It shouldn't be possible right? Hollows were monsters with no feelings or emotions… not to mention they ate human souls. So, why was one in here, with no blood-lust and holding what should be given to a toddler? Let's just say, his curiosity won over his integrated need to kill the monster before it could move.

It took him a while to realize the Hollow was openly ignoring his existence. IT did something to the bottle and then moved up the stairs. Still baffled, Kisuke went after it, wanting to see what the demon-like creature was going to do with the bottle.

When they approached the room in which he was sure the baby was residing he nearly attacked. He was stopped by the warning rumble the Hollow sent his way. There was something nagging him to just pull Benihime out from her confines and slice the creature before it could do any damage. But for whichever crazy reason, he simply couldn't do it. There was intelligence reflected in those unnatural eyes. A desire to do something.

Following behind he saw clear as day as the creature went to the crib, took the baby from its confines and fed it. The scene was enough to blow his mind good-bye and out the metaphorical window. What's worse, the child did not seem scared nor preoccupied. Well, fine it was giving him food, but it was done by the hands of something that should instill primal fear…

He was reduced to staring… yes, he was just there watching the scene unfold. Completely forgotten by both the monstrosity and the little one. After being fed, he saw the Hollow lower the bottle to the ground and watch the child intently as thought it wanted to smile at the noises the baby produced.

He could sense serenity for a long good while emanating from the beast. As the sun set, the picture of the Hollow holding the baby in its mighty arms remained forever burned in his memories. The phenomenon surreal, the glow of the fading light making the whole room that much brighter and warmer.

Soon the emotions of the Hollow changed. As though the happiness was disappearing along with the Sun's rays. Standing at the ready, he itched to pull out Benihime and finish the Hollow before it could hurt the newborn. Only, such a move never occurred. The young one must have been a lunatic for he reached the Hollow's face with his tiny hands.

It was a complete turn-over and the Hollow even purred in satisfaction. To say he might have gone a few shades of gray in only the past few minutes of witnessing these exchanges would be an understatement. Especially when the child fell asleep and the monster turned to give him a pointed stare accompanied by a threatening silent roar. It was as thought the Hollow did not want for the baby to be awakened. There was also a tiny fraction of hesitation at leaving the newborn behind.

Kisuke would be the first to admit he felt relief at seeing the Hollow disappear after tucking the baby in the crib. He stood on his feet, but barely. The whole situation had been unnerving to say the least.

Slowly, as if fearing the Hollow might return, he approached the crib. The little one had such a carefree and serene face, just as it should be expected of a sleeping baby. One would never even think that a monster had just held the precious bundle, fed it and made it fall asleep.

Unbelievable. Had anything happened to the child, he was sure there would have been a whole line of people demanding for his head as a souvenir. He should definitely start making a merchandise like that…. He might make more than a few pennies…

Back to the baby, now that the looming threat of a moody Hollow was over, he dared to finally gauge the child's Reiatsu.

He had expected for the baby to be strong, only not this mighty. No wonder Masaki had trouble carrying and birthing the little one. There was yet another thing that was simply knocking at the back of his head… but what?

Then it struck him… the child's Reiatsu and the Reiatsu of the Hollow that just recently disappeared were nearly the same. Could it be…? Is it possible that he inherited Masaki's Hollow? How big are chances that the monster from just minutes ago is the little ones' Inner Hollow?

That was disturbing, if the Hollow could come and go as he pleased even during the time the baby was this defenseless, what would it do when the child grew steadily up? And most of all, why did it not consume the baby on the spot? It surely wasn't normal behavior. Then again, how many Inner Hollows fed their masters with no killing intentions?

Fearing for the newborns safety and future, Kisuke started working on a special seal that would prevent the monster from coming out to the surface so easily. Simultaneously, that meant he'd have to block the child's Reiatsu until he was able to control his energy properly.

He worried that he might be doing the baby a disadvantage, but as things stood, he could not risk for Seireitei to locate the newborn, even less to kill it for having such a huge amount of Reiatsu. Knowing Central 46, they would ask for the child's execution without delay.

Several minutes later his spell was completed and with it the newborn's Reiatsu was kept at bay, buried deep within his soul. Kisuke was ready to collapse, which he promptly did on the floor of the baby's room. Before falling into unconsciousness caused by fatigue, he silently promised to release the seal once the child was ready and strong enough to overpower the demon living within his body. Hopefully he won't be beaten too hard for doing this without his parents' consent nor without consulting with the Quincy Sovereign.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. If I made a mistake along the way, please let me know. Sorry for repeating the same parts all over again xD_

Hear, hear! It's finally happening. We have a little Ichi! xD

 ***Kichi*** – male Japanese name meaning 'good luck'. It was a really lucky chance I found this name. Therefore, naturally, it had to be in the story x3

 ***Dangai*** – more commonly known as the Precipice World, is the dimension which lies between the World of the Living and Soul Society. The Dangai is an isolated space which is surrounded by numerous stacked-up layers of time flows. Thus, the time compactness within it, is extremely high when compared to other exterior dimensions. To be precise it is over 2,000 times denser, meaning that when one hour passes in the outside worlds, 2,000 hours go by inside the Dangai. In the past it was used as a penal colony. Together with the Koryu and the Kototsu the three adjoined components act as a means of defense against unwanted intruders.

 ***Koryu*** – meaning 'Wrestling Flow' is the current that constantly flows through the Dangai. Its' purpose is to prevent enemies from going through it. The current stops souls from moving, trapping them in an inescapable grip. It encompasses the walls, capturing anyone who makes contact with them.

 ***Kototsu*** – also known as the 'Wrestling Surge' or 'The Cleaner' is as its name suggests the to a street sweeper. It appears once every seven days to cleanse the area. While at it, it kills anyone and everything that makes contact with it. Its purpose; to make sure no one loiters and possibly takes advantage of the time difference. It is formed from the same material which makes up the Dangai with a few additions. First its shape is that of a bullet train with a golden eye at the upper-center of its body. Anything that gets caught up in its current is trapped and thrown out in an entirely different timeline or even location. When Aizen Sosuke destroyed the Kototsu, he and Ichimaru Gin ended up slightly off-route and farther from Karakura Town. Gin commented it happened as the axis slipped due to Aizen's interference.

 ***Hino*** – Japanese last name meaning 'sun field'. It was the name of a noble family descended from the Fujiwara. This surname is mainly found in eastern Japan.

 ***Tomoya*** – male Japanese name meaning 'wise one'

 ***Kurohoshi*** – Japanese surname combined from two parts: 'kuro' meaning black and 'hoshi' meaning star.

 ***Akira*** – Japanese male name meaning bright or clear. You can guess which one I used for Shirosaki xD

Really, I'm so evil, giving him a name, which means 'bright black star'.

 ***Kusajishi*** – It is the 79th district in the North Rukongai and the place where Kenpachi Zaraki first 'met' his Fuku-taichou Yachiru. He named the girl with Unohana's nick-name Yachiru and Kusajishi from the district he found her in.

 _Sheesh, took me a while to get this one out._

 _Hope you'll like it x3_

 _Until next time. Wishing you all the best :D_


	33. Chapter 33

_Hello!_

 _Say hi to Chapter XXXIII_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings all as per usual:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

This chapter was to be posted yesterday August 21st, 2018!

It was supposed to be a secondary birthday gift for my Nee-chan…

With a little delay, I hope that someday she makes it come all the way here… Until then, お誕生日おめでとう Otanjoubi Omedetou! Happy Birthday!

A little heads-up everyone, I'm going to soon change my pen-name from AkemiRyuShuichi to Cass Ichirof. I must confess that I found myself enjoying this a lot. In fact, I started to really love typing and writing so much that I am hoping to publish my own book someday. When that day comes forth, I do plan to use Cass Ichirof as my name :3

Enough with my rants, enjoy :D

* * *

 _Chapter XXXIII_

* * *

Waking up to a blazing Sun and sore all over was definitely not the way Masaki thought she would raise on such a fine _morning_. One of the reasons her and Isshin's bedroom as well as the nursery were on the west side of the house was to assure she and her family would not be awoken by sunlight. Besides, sunsets were amazing to watch from the comfort of a queen size bed.

Surprised much? Don't be! She does love mornings and enjoys warm, cozy summer days like this one… but she loathes being roused prematurely. Perhaps, she inherited the peculiarity from her family? It would make sense, especially thinking back to Shirosaki-san and Kurosaki-sama…

Normally, she would stretch and gently stand-up from bed, prepare breakfast and all needed for the upcoming day. Today, however, she felt extremely exhausted and out of energy, a far cry from her usual self.

It took her roughly eight minutes to even realize her husband was dead asleep next to her. She probably wouldn't have noticed, had it not been for his large hand wrapping around her middle in a _'delightfully possessive embrace'_. Not that she opposed to the little extra attention, mind you.

The moment Isshin's hand touched her belly; she flinched from a mild level of pain sparking from that spot. That's when it hit her… the baby…

First, she was mystified and then she became frantic with worry.

 _'Where is our child? What happened? It's all so blurry… One moment my waters break, then Isshin is by my side talking nonsense… Uh… my stomach hurt so badly… then there was Urahara-san… at least I think it was him… Certainly, there is no other maniac out there who wears a bucket hat… What came next?'_

In a rush of panic, she neglected to realize her fidgeting and desperate untangling from her husband woke said man from his own slumber. Seconds later, Isshin was asking Masaki to calm down and not move as much, least she wanted to be bedridden until next month. His words did nothing to appease Masaki's anxiety. On the contrary, she became even more concerned.

"Isshin… the child… Where is our baby? Please tell me it's safe and sound."

Taking a deep calming breath, Isshin softly spoke to Masaki, hoping the tender tone would placate her enough to settle down.

"You worry too much. The baby is fine… In fact, it was so energetic it took Urahara and I a while to fix you back-up. Now… if you want to see the little one, you'll have to behave and compose yourself or do you want to scare it already? We're supposed to embarrass and tease it to no end, not jolt it to an early grave."

Masaki was sure it must have been Isshin's voice that managed to reduce her to putty in his hands. There was no other explanation… As soon as he started talking in that quiet tone, he had her… never mind that he said the baby was alright. Able to relax, Masaki waited patiently for Isshin to go and get the baby, which the male promptly did, less he agitated her again and forced him to call Urahara all over again.

Closing the bedroom door, Isshin inaudibly sighed. Now that he was fully awake and aware of things around, he had time to contemplate all that happened the previous night.

Last night had been weird enough in Isshin's opinion. He could not comprehend exactly what occurred. One moment Masaki said her waters broke the next she was screaming in anguish.

He had been present when Kaien was born as well as when Kukaku and Ganju later came to be. After all, being a member of the Shiba Clan, a Taichou and one hell-of-a-healer, he had been called to witness the miracle of birth… and to give a helping hand here and there…

It was not uncommon for children of Noble Houses to cause some ruckus to their parents during childbirth… but never had he witnessed such a harsh delivery. Even before that, Masaki was hiding something. He was willing to bet, she was concealing just how difficult the pregnancy had been on her body and soul. Along with the fact that she fainted more than once during labor…

Shuddering at the mere thought of losing Masaki, he shook his head in hopes of chasing such vile images from his very bones. Just the idea was sickening, but to see it happen… Hell no! Not on his watch!

Back on track, he was supposed to do something… right… the baby.

He too wondered what the child looked like… he hated to admit it, but he had been so troubled about Masaki and her health, he did not even look at his newborn properly. He was glad Masaki did not catch his lack of knowledge. In case of any inquiries, he would say he wanted to surprise her by keeping the child's gender a secret… that is, until she could hold it in her own hands.

 _'Yup, that's a good plan; now I just have to hope she buys it.'_

Rushing to the newly appointed nursery, he was shocked out of his mind when he entered and saw the crib empty.

 _'No, no, no, no, no! What?!... It was here! I know I left it here… I couldn't just vanish into thin air… could it? Is this my punishment for taking care of Masaki before our baby? Dear Reiou, how am I going to explain it to Masaki?'_

What is a helpless father to do but tremble in horror? There were no traces of the infant save for the fluffy towel it had been wrapped in. Small traces of dried blood a striking contrast on the white surface.

Isshin ducked under the cot, inspected every corner of the room in hopes that the little one might have miraculously moved from its tiny bed and was playing a few tricks to the ex-Shinigami. The search would have continued endlessly had it not been for the lowest of sounds which reached the hysterical parent's ears.

Whatever it was, it came from somewhere below. Heart skipping a few beats, Isshin hurried down the stairs. Upon reaching the bottom he released the breath he was not aware of keeping within.

Urahara Kisuke with his green robes was sitting in a reclining peach colored chair in the dining room. He cared not where the unknown piece of furniture came out from for Isshin was way more interested in the bundle the other was holding. Nestled in Urahara's left arm was his missing child enveloped in a new towel. This time it was mint green, which, again, Isshin had no idea where the other found it but was not about to comment on such a small matter.

The child was, thankfully safe and, by the looks of it, being fed a generous portion of baby-formula. Isshin could vividly recall his lost argument with Masaki regarding the very same weird substance. He fervently wanted for the child to be only breastfed and not given fake rubbish. Masaki, had agreed, but had also claimed that it would be uncomfortable for both her and the baby to breastfeed in public, should the infant get hungry while they were out.

After the prolonged squabble, Isshin begrudgingly submitted to Masaki's whims… Fine, she had a few good points, one of which was undeniably demonstrated right in front of his nose, the one where she said _'What if I am not around and the baby gets hungry?'_ Taking several calming breaths, just enough to regain his cool, Isshin approached the quiet duo. It was surreal to see Urahara without his infamous green and white stripped bucket hat, though it was not that far off from the eccentric male. Said hat was on the floor next to the scientist's feet.

Before he could reach them, he was made to pause by Urahara's cheerful voice.

"Oh! Why, good morning to you, Isshin-san. Up and about, now are we? Though, I should probably say: _'Good afternoon'_. And here I was planning to take this adorable ball of joy away for the day. Such a shame you came right in time to stop me."

Isshin barely suppressed his desire to pummel the shopkeeper into the next dimension. Only common sense and deep gratitude were the blonde's saving graces. Hell, whom was he kidding? If Isshin did not feel half the thankfulness he had towards the scientist he would have still punched him all the way to Soul Society, maybe not all the way to the Royal Palace, but close enough. As it is, the man had assisted him in saving Masaki's life, at the cost of his powers, but Urahara had still helped out. Even afterwards, he mentored him on human behavior and guided him in becoming a doctor and open the clinic he now worked along with Masaki.

With a loud exhale Isshin, let his anger drop. He is certainly no fool. In his current state with no powers, not to mention in a Gigai made by the lunatic, he was more than conscious he would not stand a chance against Urahara. Yet, the Shiba's were and **are** well known for their fiery temper which overrules reason. They are passionate and temperamental to the point where logic and common sense are thrown to Hueco Mundo, especially if their beloved are threatened or in danger. Isshin was brought out of his internal debate by a giggle.

It took him a heartbeat to realize who was making the cute noise. Peeking out from the outrageous mint towel was a tiny curious tan head with an orange tuft of hair…

 _'Wait… ORANGE! Do my eyes deceive me or something?'_

Carefully approaching the shop-owner and the little child in his hands, Isshin came face to face with the infant who was smiling radiantly at all the new discoveries, especially with a full tummy, unaware of the scrutinizing once-over from his father or the unnatural gentle smile on the Shopkeeper's face.

 _'Huh? Must be a gene from Masaki's side, Lord knows all Shiba's have raven black hair. Maybe the occasional weirdo here and there had brown locks or other dark shades, but certainly nothing like this. Wait! How did I miss its hair color in the first place?'_

Disregarding the unusual trait and shrugging off his incredulity, Isshin extended his hands in a subconscious manner, not even voicing his desire. With a knowing grin, Urahara passed him the toddler making sure the little one was properly held before letting go. Kisuke will never divulge just how difficult it had been to detach himself from the baby. Just thinking about Yoruichi and her relentless teasing was more than enough to assure he would never speak a word to anyone, even to himself. At least not out loud.

The instant he embraced the child, Isshin was lost to the world. His lips curled in a heartwarming and proud smile. Words alone could not describe the pure bliss he felt at holding his baby. He unwrapped the child from the cocoon-like mint towel to reveal the infant's gender. Male! They had a baby boy! An energetic and babbling one at that.

 _'Should have guessed it, he looks so much like Kaien it's somewhat scary. Give him black spikes and he would look like the spit image of Kaien shortly after he was born.'_

The child was not very pleased at the chill that it felt once the clothing had been removed. It moved in turmoil, hoping to somehow restore lost warmth. The infant's antics were lost to Isshin, who was admiring the baby with a critical eye and making sure it was healthy and well before re-engulfing it in the fluffy towel.

Turning away from Urahara without any explanation, he made way towards Masaki in their shared chamber. She was sure to be overjoyed, particularly since she had been under a strong impression it was their _'son'_ kicking and fidgeting in her belly. Oh, he couldn't wait to see her reaction.

* * *

Urahara stayed put, he figured it was better to get the youngster to its mother before she decided to take a walk. Judging by Isshin's haste, that notion was probably very accurate. Urahara had been awoken by an unusual sound, it was that of the child who was playing with its tiny fists and attempting to get something in its mouth.

Urahara recalled the Hollow and its unusual behavior, but disregarded it in wake of the spirited child who was hungry all over again. Taking the bottle, the Hollow had used, he went in the direction of the kitchenette where he first encountered both the child and the monstrosity.

The moment he opened the door, the baby started to cry out. That had been surprising. After all, the infant had not been terrified of the Hollow the previous night, yet here it was sobbing for being almost left all alone. Going with the flow, he returned and took the child who was still very unsettled. Disregarding the infants' behavior, he pulled out a green towel and wrapped the youngster in something more colorful. What did you expect? Urahara is not very fond of plain things, therefore it was only natural to leave the fluffy disgraceful item behind while he took the baby and went towards the lower regions of the house.

It did not take long to find out first hand why the baby was so upset. The discovery had been rather uncomfortable. Thinking there was something wrong with the child, Urahara's first reaction was to lay it down on the table and unwrap it from the new towel. He had expected an injury or at worst the Hollow's attempts at escaping the seal he had placed upon it. Imagine his surprise when instead he got a 'mini shower'.

Utterly drenched, Urahara looked down in distaste at the troublemaker. At fist the child did nothing, just admired his 'handy-work' only to try and stop from giggling, as though aware it might have 'pissed' the other off… Ok, that was a poor choice of thoughts even for someone as smart as Urahara. Still, he had just gotten urinated at, so he was entitled to some bitching.

Taking a few deep breaths, he used a few Kido spells to clean himself up and get yet another towel. This time it was mint green. While at it, he summoned an extra seat, much more to his liking, especially if he had to feed the little scoundrel.

He was by no means good with kids or fragile things. Not at all. He much preferred sturdy and dangerous creations he could experiment to his heart's content. Still, by some mysterious reasons, he felt pulled towards the little one. No sooner had he started feeding it, did he grasp just how adorable and cuddly it was. Within seconds, he found himself enjoying the warm feeling he was receiving from the child.

When Isshin demonstrated the wish to take the child, he had felt genuinely reluctant to hand _him_ over. Oh, yes. Urahara had taken a little peek at the infant's gender. It was the least he could have gotten out from being 'washed'. Finding out the little one was male somehow did not surprise him. After all, the baby perfectly resembled a certain Shiba heir.

With an exasperated puff of air, he decided to stick around and see where things would proceed from there. He hoped he was going to be present when the parents decided to name the baby. Meh, choosing to self-invite himself, he cleaned up the bottle and table from the minor mess he had caused only to follow after Isshin.

* * *

Isshin was so eager to see Masaki's expression, he glided up the stairs as fast as he could. The moment he reached the top something strange happened. The ex-Taichou suddenly froze, time and space broke off and his demeanor took a new, unexpected turn. With a glint of metal in his eyes, he crossly looked at the infant cradled in his hands. The unsuspecting toddler continued its baby gibberish unfazed by the abrupt standstill.

Only when the metallic hue became more prominent did it react. Curious blue watching intently at its caregiver. Whatever it saw, it must not have like it, for the baby started to thrash about and cry as if demanding to be released from the scary figure.

Blinking rapidly, Isshin felt confused… why was his son wailing in such a heartbreaking way, when it was cheerful not a nanosecond ago? That reminded him of the many books on infants he had gone through… some of them talked about understanding the baby and its cries for different things… Maybe it needed a change? Or could it be it was hungry?

Shaking his head to clear his rambling thoughts, Isshin went for the goofy approach, hoping Masaki would not jump out of her skin from the incessant weeping. Making silly faces was a natural habit, combined with the need to see his firstborn smile, he doubled his efforts making for an incredible comedian… or clown depending on who watched him.

Being jolted around is not the best feeling in the world. But the sense of flying about while feeling strong arms keeping you anchored is more than exhilarating especially to one who is yet to have knowledge of the world. Big blue orbs opened in an attempt to orient oneself and see who was keeping him from floating about and making weird noises. Deep blue met brown in an inquisitive stare. With the metallic gleam gone, so was the _'bad'_ impression and the child calmed enough to laugh once again.

With a sense of accomplishment Isshin ran in the direction of his shared bedroom, talking sweet nothings to his baby. Seeing the child chuckling all over was a true blessing and something he would cherish for as long as he lived. He silently promised to always try and make his child smile.

Finally, inside the room, he could tell Masaki had been on the verge of bolting from their bed and into the hallway. She was still draped in the baby-pink short-sleeved, knee-length dress she had been in last night. The cotton dress complemented her greatly and the white lace around the V-line and sleeves was an added bonus. He had to suppress the urge to pounce on her for other reasons other than to hand her their baby.

He was thankful he had learned self-control in the past few months she had been pregnant. Even more so, he appreciated the fact that she stayed in bed long enough for Isshin to have the honor of being the one to pass her their boy.

Isshin was sure he was in heaven. Screw Soul Society and Seireitei, this was Paradise. The sight of his dearly bellowed nuzzling the outcome of their love… their child… it was something he had never experienced before. Masaki was glowing with happiness, while the baby took a few seconds to examine the new face, only to giggle in joy. Must have recognized the one whom had fed and provide for it while in the belly.

Feeling left out, Isshin decided to bring himself back in the picture. Plastering a sly smirk, he quietly approached Masaki to her right side, wanting nothing more than to hug her while she held their son. Arrangements made, he received a soft smile for his efforts. He could tell she was still tired from the whole ordeal, so in an effort to be straightforward he murmured in her ear:

"You know, you were right Masaki… it's a boy."

If he had thought she had been content before, it was nothing compared to how ecstatic she appeared to be now.

"Silly. I told you a mother's instinct is never wrong."

Glancing down at the little one, who had yet to stop smiling, it occurred to her they never thought about names for either gender. She had hoped that once her boy was in her hands, she would have a name coming out of her lips. Alas, that was not the case. She turned to face Isshin, an inquiry tangible even before she uttered a single syllable.

"I don't have a name yet. Any suggestions?"

Isshin beamed at her words, thought, did his best not to let it show. He had been strictly prohibited to give her any naming ideas. He was glad he could suggest a few now without enticing his wife's fury. Nonetheless, he had to pretend he was contemplating, therefore, for a change, he went very subtly about the subject.

"Hmm… How about Haruto? He sure has the hair to match."

Masaki was considering the name… depending on how it was written it could either mean _'Soaring Sun'_ or _'Remote Flight'_ , neither setting down with her. Slight movement, pulled her out of her musing. The boy was fidgeting in an unsettled way, as though it was not pleased by something. Somehow, she concluded that was the child's way of saying _'Not that, pick another'_. Humming to herself in agreement, she looked at Isshin.

"I don't think he likes it. Anything else?'

Isshin had been completely baffled at their son's actions and only Masaki's words brought him back to the present.

"Oh… right! How about **Hikaru*** , or **Raiden*** … Nope? Let's see… **Isamu***? No?! You're a picky little imp, aren't you? Huff… Oh, I know! You are sure to love **Jimmu*** "

None of the names seemed to tranquil the little one. In fact, with each new name, he was more and more agitated.

" _'Divine warrior'_ … really Isshin, we are not in Seireitei where he'll grow to be a soldier or something. I'm surprised you didn't go for **Katsu***. Though, I'd prefer **Nobu***."

Masaki's choices were yet another _'no'_ if the boy's face was any indication. The infant had puffed out his cheeks and was attempting to have a stern expression. His efforts were useless, he was just that adorable even when trying to act all brave and mighty. One could say he wanted a unique name which became inspiration for Isshin's next round.

" **Shinichi*** , **Junichi*** … still nothing… Aw… you're really hard to please. Say… be a good boy for daddy… **Ryouichi***?"

The last one must have hit a nerve, as the baby started to sob in irritation. Masaki herself was not sure whether to laugh or cry. It was both hilarious and frustrating especially since their son seemed dead intended on getting an appropriate name. Watching the pure determination in those baby hues, she started to ponder on her own accord.

In her intent to search for an exceptional name, she was mentally brought back to her old home and the dozens of scrolls and tomes which had littered the library. Those memories evoked an old tale from the deepest recesses of her mind. To be precise, it was a myth… the Legend of the Protector Clad in Black. It was a story about a fiery boy with an indestructible desire to guard and shield all those whom came in contact with his Reiatsu. Since the Protector's fate remained unknown, it ended up as one of the Lore's of Old Times.

Thinking back, she had the distinctive feeling her family name was somehow connected to it, even though the 'how' eluded her for the time being. While she was a child herself, Masaki had adored the many adventures her mother told her of said character. And even though the fable did not have a happily-ever-after as many other fairy-tales she had read, the exploits of 'The One Protector' were always packed to the brim with action, quests, dangers and monsters lurking at every corner. They would fascinate and scare her all in one huge adrenaline shot which would result in exhausting her enough to immediately fall asleep.

In her musing, she unintentionally turned a deaf ear to Isshins continuous efforts, having missed the last three or four names uttered. By the expectant look on her child's face, she was positive the young one too all but forgot about his father and was waiting for her verdict. Now, if only she could put a name to the boy in those tales…

"Ichigo."

The name came out of her mouth before she could fully grasp what she said. At first, not a single sound could be heard, as if her voicing had pressed a stop button. Before she could take into consideration any new names a giggle followed by a joyful laughter pierced her very core. Glancing down at the baby, she could feel its happiness emanating from its Reiatsu. It was faint and barely there, but it was tangible like a tender caress. Without second thought, she repeated the name.

"Ichigo."

Another fit of mirth from the child reaffirmed his approval of the name. On the other hand, Isshin was stupefied. To him 'Ichigo' sounded like a girlish name with a fruity taste. Surely Masaki wouldn't name their son after strawberries?

"Alright, Ichigo it is."

The moment those words were spoken out loud, Isshin nearly fainted. Though the baby appeared happy at its new name, he was far from that.

"Masaki, darling, are you sure? I mean no offence, but isn't Ichigo kind of a female name? With his already… ahem… unusual hair color he is bound to have a bumpy ride in life. Adding a female-like name to the mix could prove to be a bit too much, don't you think?"

Imagine his surprise when Masaki started smiling and giggling just like the boy in her arms.

"Oh, Isshin. Ichigo might mean strawberry when you write it in Hiragana, but with the right Kanji it means _'One Protector'_. Besides, I love it! Not to mention the name is mentioned in one of my favorite Quincy Legends. I can tell he'll be very unique, though I can't sense anything remotely Quincy in his Reiatsu. That in turn means he'll probably get certain Shinigami traits, it is only fair that he has something from my side as well. Also, look how happy he is. There is no way we can change it now. I think he made the choice for us."

Isshin was astonished how meticulous Masaki had thought this through. He too had to admit, the little one did smile whenever they called him Ichigo. Raising his head in concentration he tried to figure out the correct Kanji that would become part of his son's name. A knock on the door broke his train of thoughts. Shoot, he had all but forgotten about the blonde shopkeeper in their dining room! Nevertheless, Masaki felt confident and well enough. Without much prompting she gave permission for the 'intruder' to come in.

In all his green and white clad glory, Urahara had heard the commotion and was not able to suppress his inquisitive nature, thus he had anxiously waited in front of the bedroom door, hoping against all odds that Masaki would take a notice to his Reiatsu. Which she might have done had she not been so absorbed in her baby-boy and Isshin. Seriously, there was so much she could focus on, not even a full day out of pregnancy.

When he entered, Urahara had already in hand a list with the many Kanji variations for nearly all the names the couple had discussed. Unsurprisingly, the name Ichigo was at the bottom of the list with a few tweaks and he merely passed the scrap of paper to Isshin, knowing it would keep the other busy for a while.

 _'It is sad, really, that he keeps his hair and face hidden under that bucket hat. Without it, he may actually look like a decent man. Too bad for him, I won't allow him anywhere near my son if he so much as tries anything funny.'_

Masaki was considering that and many a way on how to utilize Urahara as a living pincushion for her skills. Sensing the danger in the shape of an overprotective mother, Urahara took measured steps while approaching the bed. His wish to see the child one more time before returning to his mundane Shoten driving him forth but not impulsively enough to warrant anyone's wrath.

Masaki allowed him to get close yet did not miss her chance to display her thoughts through face and Reiatsu alone. Urahara audibly swallowed and nodded in silent understanding. The quiet scene had been lost to poor Isshin who was mumbling something while reading through the list Urahara had given him.

Cuddled in his mother's hand the infant was trying to make its presence known by making as many sounds as it could. The young one's attempts were mostly in vain as one parent was absorbed in a piece of paper, while the other was mentally preparing arrows with visions of a destroyed bucket hat.

Masaki did not know when she started to feel apprehensive around the scientist even if the other had done nothing to deserve such treatment. Nonetheless, she had the inkling it was for the best. Perhaps Yoruichi's occasional visits and the method in which the cat-lady seemed to effortlessly demand respect from the nut-case had been her initial conduit. Taking it as a safe habit, she always made sure Urahara knew his boundaries.

Hovering not too close nor too far from Masaki, Urahara waited and looked at the child who was now munching a tightly closed fist. Obviously, the half-full bottle he had prepared had not been enough to fill the tiny one. At the sight of the little boy, Urahara had to suppress the urge to make cooing noises, after all, he had a reputation to uphold. Heaven's forbid Yoruichi got a wind of this data. He would never hear the end of it.

Maybe the toddler noticed his arrival or perchance it felt someone's gaze upon its form… either way… it slightly moved and rose its head form his mothers embrace to gape at the peculiar male.

For a few moments, nothing happened. There they were, an adult and a child staring at each other as if it was the most common thing in the world. In a flash, Urahara was missing a certain accessory… his hat. Urahara's stupefied face said it all. He had not anticipated such a quick move. The boy managed to raise himself high enough to grab a hold of the stripped hat and was now cheerfully nibbling at the edges, only to dislike it and throw it across the room.

The unfortunate article bounced against the door, only to glide to the floor, while a certain orange-headed menace clapped its hands cheerfully at seeing the item fly. Glancing from his hat to the child a few times, Urahara internally panicked.

 _'How? This… It shouldn't be possible… Not after I sealed the Hollow within his soul. Did I screw something up?'_

Urahara continued to pretend to be stupefied and gaze from his hat to the boy. He had to examine the child and its Reiatsu without appearing suspicious in front of Masaki. With her roots and genetic, she could easily catch him… Reiou help him if that was to happen.

Being tired from the birthing and now surprised at her son's behavior, Masaki solely focused on her newborn who continued to smile and laugh to its heats' content. Her exhaustion was catching up and the child's stunt had been an unexpected move that brought her back from her dozing self. Isshin too, could not believe what jut transpired. Not that he saw anything, besides Urahara with the hat and then without it.

Using the parent's distractions to his full advantage, Urahara inspected the baby for any signs of Reiatsu. As far as he could tell, the seal he had applied was robust and in place. Then how did the child achieve such a feat? He put it up as a fluke… it was likely the leftover Reiatsu, which had leaked clung to the boy who used the opportunity to unconsciously discharged it with its _'surprise attack'_. While watching the room, he had half expected to see the monstrosity of that Hollow as well. Thankfully, that was not the case and all seemed well.

Clearing his throat to get the attention of the two parental figures, he pretended to scold the child for its actions. Though, his playful tone did not go unnoticed by those within the room

"Well, I'll say… I am foreseeing trouble coming your way little boy. No throwing things around young man, especially those which do not belong to you. Heh… you are going to be a true hellion that's for sure… Just try not to grow-up like your daddy here… Between the two of us, he was a rascal back in his days…"

The last part was whispered, but it had been loud enough for both parents to hear. While the child and mother giggled in amusement, Isshin threw a hysterical fit which brought even the drained Masaki to tears of joy.

Resuming a more serious posture, Urahara announced.

"He is going to be very strong. I would suggest putting a seal on his powers until he grows into them…"

Seeing a menacing glare from Masaki and Isshin made him continue in a rushed tone.

"…But if that is not to your liking, I'd recommend to keep a watch out for his Reiatsu. I can't feel much at the moment, yet that's not to say he won't gain more as he progresses in life. As a safety precaution, would you agree to have Tessai-san put a few barriers around your household? Nothing too fancy, just a couple Kido to ward against Hollows in case that this little angel expels too much energy at random and attracts Hollows for impromptu snack-fests…?"

The question had the desired effect, both parents were deep in thoughts considering the offer. Using the opportunity, Urahara triple-checked the seal within the baby's soul.

 _'Good, good. It's there and there are no changes. I'll ask Tessai to prepare a few barriers. Even should they prove useless for the child, Masaki could use them. She never fully learnt how to conceal her Reiatsu, especially after she got bitten. At least it is much better than all those years ago. If nothing else, I expect them to agree for the kid's benefit. More so should they leave the boy in the care of a nanny in the near future. Who knows, I might offer to play the part… That would be fun and I'd have access to the child and its Reiatsu…'_

Urahara was not aware that his eyes were sparkling with mischief. He may say as he pleased about Isshin being a troublesome kid, yet he himself was as impish as ever even as an adult.

The two new parents looked at each other as if searching for the right answer in one another. In the end, they agreed it wouldn't be such a bad idea… never realizing they were playing right into the researcher's hands. With everything done and ready, Urahara bid the new family farewell and assured Tessai would come shortly to set-up mentioned barriers.

Once sure Urahara was gone, Masaki started to breastfeed Ichigo while Isshin went in the kitchenette to prepare something light for his wife. He wasn't much of a cook, on the contrary, anything and everything he had ever attempted to prepare was either burned to dust or inedible. It had been long agreed Masaki would be the main chef in the house. Now though, Isshin was thankful for the few lessons Masaki taught him.

He was proud to proclaim he could prepare steamed vegetables and rice without turning the ingredients or kitchen to mush. Boiled eggs still gave him a hard time, as he either overcooked or liquefied them. The first few times had been a disaster and Masaki had wondered how he managed to set the upper shelves on fire with naught but water. It was a secret he would take with him into Seireitei. Humming a tune or two, he got back to work eager to surprise Masaki and have the whole family take a well-deserved nap.

* * *

Zangetsu could not remember the last time he had such a good sleep. Not that he could recall the last time he actually napped. As much as he could gather, it must have been a long while since he was alive to begin with, after all, back in his days, there were no such things as baby formulas. On another note, at the beginning, he had been a very mean spirit going as far as to try to kill his own wielder. Only luck and the Quincy powers within Ichigo saved the child from certain death.

Speaking of Quincy, he could not find even a speck of the elderly spirit. Memories of old slowly returned and with them certain forgotten facts. After a few minutes, he mentally face-palmed himself.

 _'Right… Ichigo did use that weird technique back then… Almost lost all his Quincy heritage in the process… The idiot, forcing a Vollständig in Bankai with nearly non-existent Quincy essence had been suicidal… Not like he could have defeated that monster without… just wish he could have avoided the whole incident in the first place… Bah! Who am I kidding! It would have ended up in a fight sooner or later anyway… It was inevitable… especially with the crazy maniac targeting us!'_

Now though, things were different! Ever since Ichigo met the albino, something drastic had changed within his very core. What that had been all about, was still unknown to the poor Zanpakuto. Nevertheless, he did not complain. He preferred this more rational existence compared to the mindless beast mode he had been stuck at the beginning.

Looking at Ichigo's reincarnated form, it was a relief to know he had regressed to his Adjucha level. The power of a Vasto Lorde would be too much for the currently fragile body. There were no doubts that his owner would eventually return them both to their former glory and who knows, maybe even transcend their previous might.

Considering he managed to manifest himself in the Real World was proof of his thoughts. If he could do it a few more times, they could evolve just with him popping in and out of their shared world.

Looking around himself, Zangetsu found that there was nothing but stillness and light in their Inner World. Not that the child could create anything… it was just born… It was definitely much better than the void he had been floating around.

Sensing minor distress, Zangetsu focused on his wielder.

 _'Ah, so he's hungry… and it seems he needs relief. Sheesh! What's going on outside?! Is it really possible for the kid's parents not to check on him even once? Che! If I see them, I'm so going to shake them back to their senses. Or at least, scare them enough to make them reconsider leaving Ichigo all alone again.'_

Having made up his decision, Zangetsu closed his eyes and concentrated on Ichigo and the place he had ended up last night. Several seconds later, he was still in their Inner World, confused and lightly upset.

 _'What the Hell! Why can't I manifest! Yesterday it was a piece of cake and I know there is energy to spare, so why can't I do it now!?'_

Huffing and growling in frustration, Zangetsu started to pace around on all four. The situation simply did not add up. Something must have happened from the moment he left Ichigo to his rest.

That's when it struck him… the stranger. The stupid green robed male must have done something to the both of them in their sleep. Having deduced this much, Zangetsu focused on their strength and flow of Reiatsu. In not time at all, he found what the problem was. Something or someone must have believed it would be fun to place seals on their Reiatsu.

With a few choice curses and roars, Zangetsu swore to make the others life miserable… that is, as soon as he was able to break the bothersome lids on their might…

 _'Stupid, moronic Getabōshi-wearing freak! He messed-up with the wrong Zanpakuto. I'll definitely get him for doing this to us! Shoot! Now what? Ichigo is hungry, his parents are nowhere to be found and I can't get out of here. Che! The seals might be working now, but given enough time, I should be able to break them apart and once I do, I'll rain down with all the fury I can muster on the idiotic maniac.'_

Growling under his breath, Zangetsu tried to asset the situation through a different method. He might be stuck inside, but that did not mean he could not see what was going on outside. Closing his inverted eyes once again, he went still, his goal to see through Ichigo's eyes.

Due to the newly established limiters, it took him a few tries, until he finally made it. Apparently, Ichigo was just stirring from his sleep. Even famished and in need of a break-room, he slept on. Heh, his wielder was as stubborn as ever.

Now that the connection was complete, he looked around the room. Everything felt out of place to Zangetsu. However, the one particular thing, or should he say person, that definitely did not belong, was the sprawled figure napping on the floor near the crib.

 _'Che! If only I could use our Reiatsu, I'd burn him to a crispy meatball.'_

The little one, on the other side, continued looking around itself, unaware that he was essentially watching everything for two. At least it did not feel the heavy sensation from the other time. Somehow, Ichigo could tell that the big entity that helped him out, was missing. That knowledge, along with an empty tummy and an unknown new need were enough to make him protest out-loud.

His unhappy mumbles and attempt to eat his own fists were what woke a strange man nearby. As any other toddler, he was curious as to whom the person might be. Instinctively, the child knew the weirdly dressed unknown being was at fault for the missing giant, yet could do nothing but continue to stare. That is, until even the unusual person nearly disappeared from view.

Once he was picked-up, wrapped in something warm and held tightly into strong hands, Ichigo was much more at ease. If with too much squirming from having an unfamiliar need and since it was upset at having lost its friend by the same man who was caring him around.

Behind the doors a new world opened to the little one and the child tried to absorb everything it could from its position, completely unaware of the Zanpakuto spirit sharing the view from within his soul.

The urge to do something grew stronger by the second and as the requirement was greater so did the baby's fidgeting start to become too much, to the point it could easily fall from a sturdy grip.

Once laid down on its back and sensing the removal of the covers, Ichigo released the pent-up need he had been holding for so long. Inside the child's mind purring and snickering could be heard from a gleeful Zanpakuto. Being the more aware and informative of the two, the spirit knew exactly what Ichigo did and the face on the foreign man was simply priceless. Not that Zangetsu believe they were even, not by a long shot, but to see Ichigo pee all over the green-guy was a nice start.

Content with the occurred and the food given to his wielder, Zangetsu retreated back in their Inner World. The amount of energy spent on just watching through his owner's eyes had been a little too much, especially with the recently added spiritual blockers. Deciding that the child was safe, he chose to start working on how to break apart the nuisances at the soonest. It was a shame he did so, for had he managed to stay just that bit longer, he would have seen the suspicious behavior of yet another individual or how Ichigo managed to grab a hold of the bucket-hat and surprise all around him.

* * *

Even after having spent several years at the Academy and almost graduating, Shirosaki could not believe how easy it had been to infiltrate the Shinigami school.

The very first day during the sing-up process it had been a little bumpy. The two of them did pretend to come from Kusajishi, not to mention, they were coming without an 'invitation' of sorts. They were nearly denied to do the entrance exam.

Thankfully, Ossan had been there to save the day. The Quincy King sure knew how to talk his way into forcing the crowd to accept them anyway. Ha! As though they could have refused. That particular year there had barely been any recruits. The many mysterious deaths, disappearance and MIA agents had stirred-up quite a fuss all over the Rukongai and even among Noble Houses. Everyone was afraid to be the next victim or become an upcoming deserter that they preferred not to sign-up rather than end up dead in a ditch somewhere.

It worked greatly in their benefit. Thus, even without a formal acceptance, they were permitted to try their luck with the paperwork and entrance test. Shirosaki personally believed the whole thing was messed-up. Why would they give a last entrance date for those in the outer Rukongai districts, if they made so much trouble over one piece of paper? Sure, Ossan and himself might be fakes, but it was ridiculous to demand paperwork from citizens from the 50th and lower districts. Especially since those who actually survived the fights and hunger were rare and far in between.

Ossan did use and abuse the knowledge that one of the Taichou was from Zaraki. With them being from just one district prior to Zaraki, they became feared even before doing anything. With Ossan 's cover-up as a brilliant youngster and him as the brawn adult of their duo, they sure did give a headache to the operative at the desk.

The exam had been as easy as breathing thanks to their knowledge and a little of Yoruichi's help. Besides, they were not aiming for top class marks, just enough to pass as a scoundrel from the darker districts. Their Kido was non-existent as expected, yet they sure did nail the combat part of the test.

That year was also special for the fact that several Taichou came to oversee the whole process. From what they could tell, Ossan and Shirosaki were the last people on anyone's radar, which played right in their hands. Being considered nothing but scum from the worst parts of Rukongai sure did have its merits.

All in all, it went easier than anticipated. Getting along with other students had not been as simple. Many were too terrified to even approach them, which was a blessing in disguise. Originally, they were to be separated and share accommodations with other classmates. The decision was recalled the very moment it happened, as mentioned, no one was crazy enough to want to share a bedroom with two monsters from Kusajishi. Hence, they remained together.

With the passing of time, it was noted that the two of them were no troublemakers. In fact, they were both really good students, if a little reclusive and non-sociable, more like totally anti-social. Other than that, none had any negative comments. Instead, by the end of the first semester, they had become rather popular among students. Their seclusion and the mystery surrounding their identities attracted others like glue.

There were times they had some difficulties in chasing and dissuading others attempts at dating them. Ossan was not interested and Shirosaki absolutely refused to even think about anyone getting close, let alone touch him the wrong way. That didn't mean some idiots understood or respected personal space and more often than not, they were forced to make such impertinent fools scatter like petals on a windy breeze.

As predicted, students had a rigorous regime with studies, practice and rest hours. Breaks were to be conducted exclusively within the Academy's borders and none were allowed to leave the perimeters except when doing scheduled drills in the forests around the Rukongai or in the World of the Living. Thus, it had been a little problematic to visit Masaki. They had kept the promise to see her every now and then. Sadly, or maybe thankfully, after a while she asked them not to come by anymore, not until they were completely done with their mission.

It had been a stab to both Shirosaki and Ossan, but they did understand her feelings. It happened at the beginning of their third year while they were having a weekend breakaway and students were given permission to visit their homes or other residences. Imagine the tutors surprise when they proclaimed they were going to visit Kusajishi during that timeline. Che! Not like they went there in the first place, but at least it gave them the coverage to visit the Living World and Masaki.

Thinking back, Shirosaki realized it had been years since then. Even when they last saw her, she had matured immensely. She was truly **_his_** mother and Ossan's descendant. Apparently, the Shinigami Taichou who stayed behind with Getabōshi and Masaki had been good with Kido and opened up a Clinic or something. Everything ended up for the best down there.

The same could not be told for Soren's hit-men nor for Aizen Sosuke. No matter how small of a pause Ossan and Shirosaki had, they always managed to get outside the premises of School and into the business of other Shinigami. Naturally, thanks to Urahara's creation, none was the wiser to that information.

Even on the very first night, they were called by Yoruichi and asked to assist her in preventing a well-planned assassination attempt at the Kuchiki Noble. The plan Soren gave the two had been overseen by Yoruichi. It was a simple one, get a poisonous gas, cover their faces with specially prepared masks and throw the object at an unsuspecting Taichou.

Yeah, right. As if such a plan would ever held water. Though, it almost did succeed. The two rascals were smarter than one would have imagined. They had patiently waited for nighttime and paid off a few servants in the Kuchiki's household to find out which room belonged to the Clan's Head. Having confirmed the location, opening the window and slipping the cursed gadget would have been as simple as stealing candy from a kid.

That could have been the end of Kuchiki Byakuya and none would have had any idea how it had happened. From what they gathered, the gas was fashioned in such a way to leave no traces behind. With Urahara's cloaks, they were able to stop that ridiculous death from happening.

A few more attempts were made against the Kuchiki Head, yet there was still to be one successful. Most times, they stopped them easily enough. Others had been quite difficult and they had gone as far as disguising themselves as assistants or hired bodyguards just to prevent them from succeeding. Every time they made it, Yoruichi seemed that much satisfied. If nothing else, the nut-case cat-lady stopped her advances towards Shirosaki, for the time being…

Speaking of messing up scheduled plans… there were a few more occasions where Soren attempted to influence Shinigami with his powers. The main problem with this was that neither Shirosaki nor Ossan knew exactly how that actually happened. Therefore, they were not entirely sure if they managed to stop him every single time. Every now and then, they would catch sight of him, but never long enough to see what the guy was doing.

Yoruichi did say she caught him walking in the shadows outside bars and disappearing without traces. It could be he wanted to catch drunkards and have them serve him. So far, by their estimates, maybe three or six at the top were influenced by the lunatic.

It had been a blow to Shirosaki's pride, but it wasn't like he could be everywhere at once! On another note, having those mantles was very useful. With them, they managed to sneak a few times into Aizen's office and even in his residence. Unfortunately, there were no sings of the Hogyoku, besides residue traces. Shirosaki was willing to bet the Taichou was smart enough to keep it in his person at all times, which would account for the minuscule fragments they sniffed.

During one of their nights out with Yoruichi in her cat form, they were confronted by none other than Ichimaru Gin. The foxy-faced Shinigami had tried in vain to track down the curious black cat he became intrigued with. Ichimaru did not know who was the cat, he had his suspicions, but nothing concrete. He attempted to catch Yoruichi off-guard by offering the feline some tuna steak, something that could not be refused by a normal cat. Playing the role Yoruichi carefully approached the Shinigami, only to be caught in his hands.

Let's just say, the very moment he raised the cat from the ground, he was met by two very visible blades at his throat. It was so unexpected he even opened his eyes in stupor. For once, Shirosaki was glad for his Gigai, because even if Ichimaru was to rat them out, they could easily jump into another contraption or leave them behind completely and resume their real forms.

That night, they took Ichimaru via Ossan's shadows in the World of the Living, in the dungeons underneath the old Castle. The dust and spiderwebs were a true indication that the place had not been used in ages, but it also added a certain dose of uncertainty for the Taichou. Ichimaru for sure could not gauge where they took him, nor in which dimension. It was enough to assure him that no reiatsu could be felt neither from outside nor within.

It took some convincing and a few chosen words and phrases, but eventually the guy spilled the beans. He was working on overthrowing Aizen on his own because of what Aizen had done to one of his friends. Shirosaki had managed to sneak more often than not in Seireitei and deduced correctly that the guy was doing it for the Fuku-taichou of the Tenth.

He, he… the expression on the guys face had been priceless. Ichimaru had been so ticked-off he nearly used Shikai and would have probably tried Bankai. It was Ossan's input that refrained him from recklessly attacking. They did not reveal their true identities nor their looks, but eventually after a long while, they did give the guy enough to confess his ultimate goal. To kill Aizen and steal the Hogyoku.

A good plan with a major flaw. The guy had no idea where the orb of doom was located, much like Ossan and Shirosaki. At the very least, Shirosaki did reveal the detail that the jewel was not in Soul Society. Hearing those words sure did depress the silvery haired male. Oh, the look on his face when they explained that there was more than one… Ah… it was refreshing.

By the end of their… ahem… conversation, Ichimaru promised to share his intel as long as they were willing to do the same. Having been told that they were with Urahara did earn them several points. Telling him about the Haldister and the possibility of having more than one crazy maniac after a different but similar thingy, did not brighten the mood of the guy.

All in all, at least they had intel. Aizen did try a few more experiments with Shinigami, but eventually gave up completely and started playing with the other side. Basically, the bastard started going to Hueco Mundo. The sole reason he never started with Hollows was because Shinigami were easy at hand and he took his sweet time figuring out how to open a Garganta.

Needless to say, while he was playing with the Shinigami, thanks to Ichimaru's notifications, they managed to break more than one of the mad-man's plans. Yet, once he started with Hollows, it became useless and dangerous for all of them to even attempt at completely prevent accidents from occurring. There were a few close cases, but they always managed through.

Now, they were about to go even deeper and enter Seireitei as full-fledged Shinigami. They had been recommended to enter the Eleventh Squad since neither had learned any proper Kido.

Shirosaki did catch a few high-powered spells and could do them flawlessly, but he did not show that talent to the coaches since it would have raised more than a few eyebrows and would have eventually painted a target mark on his back. Ossan had had even less luck in figuring out Shinigami powers, but his wits and combat skills were more than enough to allow him to graduate.

So, what if neither had a Shikai? It's not like they needed to be seated officer. On the contrary, the less conspicuous the more freedom they had. Also, the amount of paperwork seated officers and higher were to make was ridiculous. Like this, they would have ample time to snoop around and do some more damage-control.

Although, Shirosaki may have liked to be in the Eleventh, the temptation to kick asses would have been too strong for him to resist. The Fifth was out of the question, they could not afford to end up as guinea pigs. Automatically that meant they were not eager to be members of the Twelfth.

Divisions One and Two were off the table. Stealth was exactly what they were doing, but there was no point in getting under their skins and have to do double the work. Ossan vehemently refused to join Yamamoto's Squad for personal reasons, which Shirosaki perfectly understood. The cursed Old Man was responsible for more death and destruction than any other living Shinigami.

Divisions Three and Nine were also not an option as Aizen was 'in charge' of their Taichou. Again, no point in putting a sing on their back saying 'Pick me!'. The Fourth, Eight and Thirteen were also a 'no, no'. The oldest Taichous alive? Hell no! No need to get caught prematurely. In the end, they were left with only Six, Seven and Ten.

It was only natural to choose Squad Six out of the leftover options. Fist and foremost, if they are members of the Sixth, they could keep an extra set of eyes on the targeted Taichou and make their life easier. Second, the Taichou of the Seventh was not even man enough to show his face, let alone what the guy might think… Also, his Fuku-taichou is annoying. As for the Tenth, it would raise a few eyebrows if they were to become missing once their assignment was over. Easy and painless. Now the question was whether the stoic Taichou would even consider them for the job.

Shirosaki was just wriggling his way out of bed. Stretching and popping a few bones in the process was such a gratifying experience now matter the age they lived in. Today was their final day in the stinky Academy. In a few hours the two of them would receive confirmation as to which Division they would belong to. Being the more proactive of the two, Ossan had made himself scarce and went to check on the remaining paperwork.

Seriously, if he was to die and end up in Soul Society, he would make sure to never be brought to the Academy again. One experience was more than enough. He had been surprised by the bureaucracy system, seeing it in full motion made him nauseous. Meh, with any luck, they would be tasked with minor inconveniences and useless jobs.

Reading himself for the day ahead, he was shortly met by the short Ossan. Heh, it was always funny to see the small body harboring the Quincy King. Though, he was not that much better. It took him forever to get used to his new appearances and name. Ossan's name at least made sense. The Emperor had been a _wise noble_ in his days. Well, more like on a higher level than just 'aristocrat'.

Nah, Shirosaki had been stupefied out of his mind when he was given his own new pen-name. Just what kind of game was that shopkeeper playing at when selecting his name? Kurohoshi Akira? Really? Even after all this time, it still pissed him off, thank you very much. He had spent every night in his Inner World consulting Zangetsu on several methods they could use against the scientist when they returned home.

Home… that was a word he found himself using more and more often. Every single time he used it, it was in such similar contents. He somehow associated Karakura and the Old Palace as his home.

 _'No wonder. He made it feel like home, like a place I could always return to. Even now, I always think of it as the sole location I truly belong.'_

His reminiscence was interrupted by a teenagers' calm and serious voice.

"It is time. Have you packed everything?"

Shooting the other with a look that said it all, Shirosaki felt no need to respond. Continuing as if he had received the answer to his question, Ossan, temporarily known as Hino Tomoya, dropped a piece of paper on Shirosaki's futon.

"We are to move to the Sixth Division Barracks within the next hour. Our new uniform will be given to us in there. Normally, we should have received it by now. However, the Kuchiki-Taichou has a strict policy to only issue Shihakusho to those who come on time."

A quick glance to the document confirmed that both Kurohoshi Akira and Hino Tomoya were to report to their new Taichou and Fuku-taichou no later than 9:00 am. Shirosaki's usual deranged grin overtook his face completely.

"How about we scare the living daylights out of them by coming there in six minutes?"

The jovial smirk on Ossan's face could not be hidden no matter how hard the male may have tried. The Gigai he was occupying made it that more difficult to hide his façade. Ossan would never admit to have been reanimated since they met Masaki and was having a lot of fun messing around with both Soren and Aizen. Yet, the contraption made it decidedly difficult to conceal his amusement most of the time.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"

Without further ado, both took their previously prepared backpacks, papers and used their respective high-speed techniques to reach their new destination. If they were asked, they could always say they were playing a game of tag to see who was faster. Even if Ossan rarely competed in such childish manner, it was essential for their cover, since they were playing the role of rascals. At the same time, their speed could earn them some points with the person Shihouin Yoruichi taught Shunpo.

* * *

Ichimaru Gin loved hiding in the shadows, but even more so enjoyed observing everything that was going on without being caught. It was a favorite pastime of his and a daily test of his skills. Aizen was not an easy opponent to catch off-guard and for the past century and a half he had done nothing but spy on the male. He had yet to find an opening to strike the man down, but there was no rush. If there was one thing he learned in his long existence, it is that the more you wait the bigger the chances that your prey will make a mistake.

He only hopped an opportunity would display itself eventually. Meeting Hino Tomoya and Kurohoshi Akira had been an unexpected surprise, even more so when the cat he had started to like and consider a lucky charm, was revealed to be none other than **Shunshin*** Shihouin Yoruichi.

He hated to admit that he had been completely unprepared for such an outcome. He had believed or prayed that Urahara Kisuke had kept tabs on all of their moves. To have the proof in front of his eyes had been a pleasant surprise.

At first, he was skeptic and refrained from revealing his secrets. After being told that there were more Hogyoku scattered around, he felt mild panic. Aizen was already crazy enough with the one he had created using the power of Shinigami and Rukongai citizens. If the maniac with a God complex was to figure out there were more of those jewels all around… well, only Reiou knows what would happen next.

By his estimates, Aizen was strong, exaggeratedly mighty, smart and cunning. He had witnessed almost all his tricks and had spent most of his lifetime as a Shinigami under his watchful eyes. He was all too aware that he was not immune to Kyouka Suigetsu's hypnosis and he had yet to find a solution to that problem. If on top of that you add immense Reiatsu, Kido skills matching that of a Master, as well as all other things the guy was capable of, you would end up summing only a fraction of Aizen Sosuke.

Gin knew, for among all those who had managed to get close enough to the megalomaniac, he was the sole one to have his own agenda. Frankly, he was surprised the other did not get rid of him as of yet. Aizen was intelligent yes, but sometimes he was too full of himself and so sure everything played as per his tune, he neglected to see what was right in front of his eyes.

Aware that he was playing a dangerous game with an insane person, Gin had kept his distance from the rest of his Shinigami associates. Only to find himself confronted with an ex-Taichou and two students. That had been new and unexpected. In fact, he was willing to bet Aizen knew something about the cat, but he was almost positive he had no intel on the kids from Kusajishi. At least, so far Aizen did not mention anything about new recruits or fresh graduates.

Nothing was ever certain with Aizen and his wed of traps, plans and operations. At the present, he smiled to himself as he watched two Shinigami running towards the Sixth. Running was putting it slightly as both were undoubtedly rushing with Shunpo or something akin to it.

Gin was no fool, he had absolutely no idea what technique had been used when he was moved to wherever he had been dragged away, yet he could tell it was not something a normal Shinigami would use least of all two students, no matter their connections to Urahara Kisuke and Shihouin Yoruichi.

He certainly hoped, everything would move along in time and they could end Aizen once and for all. He did tell them he had no interest in the Hogyoku, which was partly true. Once he found the orb, he planned on finishing Aizen then take the cursed object to Rangiku. He was hoping that, once in his possession, the trinket would release the fragment of Rangiku's soul from its confines. Only when that was done, would he relinquish his hold on the damned thing.

Until then, he would continue doing what he did best… watch, listen and observe…

* * *

If someone told PePe his mission to capture the Quincy Grandmaster with his 'Love' would be as easy as drinking a cup of tea, he would probably whack them in the head.

It was becoming harder and harder to get even a glimpse on his target. Haschwalth was endlessly busy running amok the Wandenreich doing this or that biding. If he was smart, he'd think Soren-sama was making his task that much more difficult.

Since he was not one known for having intelligence, the thought never crossed his tiny brain.

What did set PePe off more than his lack of luck in using his power on Haschwalth, was the insufferable Hubert. Every now and then he caught the other approaching the Grandmaster and whisper sweet nothings.

More often than not, Hubbert openly approached the blonde and blurted out a few choice sentences leaving Haschwalth to ponder on the meaning behind his words. Those were the moments he both loved and hated the most.

Every single time he did get an opening like that, someone jumped in and prevented him from using his attack. So far, he was about ready to explode or kill Bazzard Black and Robert Accutrone. Those two, were next on his death list, right after Hubbert.

He might not be smart, but he was not an ape either. PePe knew, if things progressed in this fashion, Hubbert would end up being the victor and turning Haschwalth to their side for Soren-sama.

If anything, he could not let that happen. In his opinion, the only thing that could possibly change the Grandmaster's opinion would be the power of Love. Normally, there was nothing more thrilling than chasing an unsuspecting prey. But in this case, it was not prey he was going after. No, it was another predator and he had every intention of coming on top.

Just thinking of adding Haschwalth to his Harem was enough to motivate him endlessly. PePe had made a silent vow to get the other one way or the other, Hubbert be damned Even if Hubbert was to succeed, he would still use his Love and infuse Haschwalth to the brim.

Oh, yes… Life was definitely getting interesting and hot in this otherwise cold space…

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. If I made a mistake along the way, please let me know. Sorry for repeating the same parts all over again xD_

 ***Hikaru*** – Japanese name meaning _'light'_ or _'brightness'_

 ***Raiden*** – Japanese name meaning _'thunder'_ and _'lightning'_

 ***Isamu*** – Japanese name meaning _'brave'_

 ***Jimmu*** – Japanese name meaning _'divine warrior'_. Apparently in Japanese legends this was the name of the founder of Japan as well as the first Emperor. Pretty cool right? Sounds a lot like Jim.

 ***Katsu*** – Japanese name meaning _'victory'_

 ***Nobu*** – Japanese name meaning _'trust'_

 ***Shinichi*** – Japanese name meaning _'genuine one'_

 ***Junichi*** – Japanese name meaning _'pure one'_

 ***Ryouichi*** – Japanese name meaning _'good one'_

Kurosaki – Japanese surname derived from the kanji 黒 _'kuro'_ which means _'black'_ and 崎 _'saki'_ which (with this particular kanji) means _'curving cape'_ or _'curving point'_ – since it's a **_cape_** and I originally thought the name might mean _'Black Blossom'_ , I chose it to be _'Clad in Black'_ don't shoot me if it's not 100% accurate. But that's kind of my opinion on the meaning of Kurosaki – not sure if you'll all agree, but Ichigo is always in black clothes whenever he goes from one Shihakusho to the other and even his initial Fullbring was 'Clad in Black Flames', until it became a mix of black and white x3

一 (ichi) = One (Numeric), 1st

護 (go) = Protect, Guard

 ***Shunshin*** – Goddess of Flash

 _Until next time, enjoy! :D_


	34. Chapter 34

_Good day everyone!_

 _I'm back with Chapter XXXIV, hope you're ready for it :D_

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings all as per usual:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Heads-up everyone, I'm going to change my pen-name from AkemiRyuShuichi to Cass Ichirof on the same day I post Chapter 35. Since this is Chapter 34, it's going to happen very soon (hopefully) x3.

Also, a huge THANK YOU to Strawberry (Guest) - the last comment nearly brought me to tears. Thank you and thanks to everyone for the support. I do swear, no matter what, I'll never stop to write this story until the very end. Only once I conclude it, will I do more xD

Happy readings!

* * *

 _Chapter XXXIV_

* * *

Have you ever woken from a good sleep, feeling like it was going to be a really good day? Did it ever occur that on such a supposedly amazing day, everything went from bad to worse until you were ready to explode?

Soren sure had one of those days. He woke up with a sense of achievement and satisfaction. He was certain the day would be positively eventful, so much so that he went as far s to whistle a cheerful tune under the shower.

If only he had known it was going to be one Hell of a day… He might have given himself an encouraging talk, or could have decided it was better to sleep it over to the next…

His newest experiments with Quincies was moving along in the right direction. The results were stupendous. The sole downside was the lack of subjects. He did get his hands on many _deserters_ from the Living World. Yet, it was not sufficient. For his plan to come to fruition, he'd need an exponentially strong Quincy… one tainted by Hollow powers and not a regular Gemischt. In short, he needed someone on their dying breath.

Based on the few samples he worked on, Gemischt were better for his plan compared to Echt Quincies. Even so, something was lacking. Echt were decidedly stronger than Gemischt, but the Gemischt were more compatible for his needs.

All in all, he concluded he was stuck. Especially since Quincies were a nearly extinct race. Those within Wandenreich were all Echt, not to mention out of the equation. How could he possibly justify the disappearance of fellow Quincies within the Shadow Realm? With the capable Grandmaster still out of his grasp, it would be simply impossible.

He could always blame the hotblooded nature of a Sternritter or two, but that only worked on small occasions and when he was sure a Soldat or other Sternritter was targeted by a higher ranked officer.

That's how he actually made it to get a hold of a few Echt and Gemischt. His disappointment at having found out that he could not use the Echt ones for his benefits had been a serious blow to his plans.

Nevertheless, he was not known for giving up. His desire to rule over the mighty Kingdom, its soldiers and eventually, Soul Society was a strong motivation to keep pushing forth. Not the most noble reason to move forward, but to each their own.

All Gemischt he caught, had been from the World of the Living. Most of them ended up being trash material and almost did not produce any outcome. Only one among the six he gathered had been an Echt turned Gemischt from a Hollow attack. Based on that one test, his theory started to become a reality.

When he was under the impression that Masaki was dead, he had moved on from getting the Heirloom from her and was now instead working on a way to absorb a Quincy's essence and become the new Monarch. So far though, it was a very slow process. The 'Gemischt with Hollow in it' did not last very long. By the time it became evident he would be able to devour the Quincy without repercussion, the disgraceful bastard died…twice… leaving not a single drop of its Quincy heritage for Soren to consume.

If nothing else, Soren managed to do all this in private without being found out by either Haschwalth or any of the other Quincies. Naturally, he could not have accomplished all these feats by himself. It was easy to convince a group of intelligent Quincies to work for him. The group gathered mostly for the power he would bestow upon them in the near future. Some came for a favor or another he provided or would deliver in due time. Others, simply wanted to research to their hearts content without being labeled as traitors or monsters.

It was easy, really to read through the small differences and corner such individuals into confessing their wants and desires. Just like in his previous life, those entities became a regular part of his everyday-life and readily swore allegiances towards him and their _shared mutual goal_.

Finding out Masaki was not only alive but pregnant, had been an unexpected shock. Who would have imagined his old experiment had sliced the Taichou it had fought and infected him as much as Masaki? He was well aware the Hollow did taint the girl, but had been unsure if it managed to do the same to the Taichou. The bigger surprise was Masaki's ability to survive Soul Suicide.

Thankfully, the Hollow remnants went unnoticed by the Shinigami, consequently this allowed Soren to keep an eye out for Masaki and her status. The only difficulty was that he was still unable to find her exact location. It was as if the Taichou was even now subconsciously repressing the Hollow's poison. It was very aggravating to know he could get her without breaking a sweat, but was always pushed aside. As of right now, he did not manage to find out any descriptions or areas where they might be located.

Judging from everything he did gather through the Shinigami's eyes, they were in a quiet neighborhood, running a healing center of sorts. It was a shame he could not clearly see the name of the cursed center. That would have saved him a lot of time and energy. Another thing that angered him, was the lack of response from the Inner Hollow that should have eaten Masaki from the inside out…

After taking care of his morning needs, Soren made his way towards the congress hall where he would meet his fellow scientist for a routine check-up with the latest experiment. If his cheerful mood was any indication, it would be a great success.

Several hours later, he was proven wrong as the test miserably failed. How it backfired, dissolving all their tubes and previously accumulated results, will forever remain a mystery.

Infuriated by the unexpected situation, Soren rushed out of the examination chamber before he decided to eradicate the entire group of useless idiots working at his side. Had he been aware that the subject failed because of a certain Mohawk haired individual, he would have blown a fuse or two…

In his rage, he accidentally made the mental link with the Inner Hollow hidden within Masaki's husband. Soren was lucky the connection was established only after he entered his personal room. His fury at seeing the baby would have been palpable even to an infant. Which actually happened. It was surreal that the newborn felt his wrath from such a distance, even more so while Soren was not fully in charge of the Shinigami's body.

Yet, the brat started to wail and cry like its life depended on it. Which was good news for the child, but yet another nuisance to Soren. The moment it started sobbing, the Shinigami regained his consciousness and with all chances Soren might have had to dispose of the irksome infant.

His list of reasons to be pissed only increased as the day progressed. His Quincy subordinates did not bring any updates about Shirosaki's whereabouts, nor did they find Masaki. The only thing they seemed to do properly is detect Reiatsu. In the last year or so, the Jureichi stabilized around the city of Karakura and Hollows were swarming like flies to honey.

From his insight, Masaki couldn't be in that city. Not with the Hollow infestation. First, the place was quiet, and with all the Hollows going in Karakura, that option was out. Second, even if she was there, she should be disappearing very often from her home and working space. Since that was not the case, it left Soren to believe she opted for a calmer location in Japan. It was just recently that he changed his order to locate Masaki from the world-wide search, to only around Japan. To have Haschwalth reporting the Quincy were always returning empty-handed was disheartening.

Another thing which did not make any sense, was the Shinigami she married. Why she chose such a weakling, was beyond his comprehension. The guy barely had any Reiatsu at all, which was precisely the reason he could not completely control the others body and mind. There was progress, but it was moving at a snail's pace.

His search for the albino, was due to a personal grudge and a necessity to study the human. Going to his previous lab and getting his memories back had taken a lot of time. He did fix most of the inconsistencies and could clearly recall his fight with the bothersome imp. Before he died, he was sure he saw the scoundrel do something to his pale companion. It would explain why Shirosaki was reincarnated.

What he could not put his finger on, was the visage of the third person that was with Shirosaki and the hellion. He was certain it had been a male, a big one at that, but, as he was at the very edge between life and death, he did not get a proper look. No matter how much he tweaked and improved his machinery, what he did not see, could not be visualized. Such a shame.

In an attempt to get the missing puzzle pieces, he had personally ordered both his Quincy and Shinigami associates to find and capture the white haired being. Thanks to his masterpiece, he had been able to create a photo of sorts which he then distributed to each member individually, promising a great reward to the one who would bring him the selected specimen alive.

Nowadays, he wondered if that had been a good idea. Shirosaki might be either dead or getting old. Regardless of his current appearances, he should either be found in the World of the Living or in Soul Society as a citizen of the Rukongai. Depending on how long he lived or if he continued to exist.

Once again, he had been disappointed with the result of the Quincy search. The Living World should have been rather easy to scourge. As for the Shinigami, they did have a lot of ground to cover. The Rukongai was immense and people came and died at such a tremendous speed it was not funny. With the World expanding and more people living in congregated spaces, it was no wonder souls were reincarnated so quickly.

Regardless of how the World changed and adjusted itself, the biggest problem was Masaki's child. It should not have been possible for the kid to be reincarnated! Damaged souls could not be reformed, even less join the cycle of reincarnation. Or, so he had believed his entire life. He'd have to figure out a new method to get rid of the boy… the sooner the better.

The problem would be in the execution more than in the method. Although he wished for Masaki and her presence, he knew she would never allow any harm to befall her children. As a matter of fact, she was overly protective and tended to keep her Reiatsu open to any and all forms of attack, especially if the assault was anywhere near her babies.

He should know. He did have two with her in their old life. With Masaki back in the game, he figured he could still get his hands on the wish-granting-inheritance. He did not know exactly how the trinket worked, but he had overheard a conversation Masaki had with the Emperor before it had been passed down to her. Later, getting more data from Masaki had been a piece of cake. The only thing which remained uncovered was the mechanic on how the jewel worked.

See? Nothing was going as he wanted. Every time he thought he got one problem fixed, two more jumped out of nowhere and made his life miserable. Also, how big were chances he could eliminate the kid with his father's hands? Low, very low. The annoying Shinigami was keeping a good hold on the Hollow with or without Reiatsu. Meaning, even should he be able to control the body and the mind, the actions would be sluggish at best, at worst the subject could be capable of utterly disregarding the command. Urgh! If nothing, he knew exactly what to expect from the whole ordeal. It was good he had tested his powers to their limits.

With his head in turmoil, Soren's Reiatsu fluctuated around him in an impenetrable circle. The process abruptly stopped the second an unlikely idea clicked within Soren's deepest recesses.

 _'What if… what if Masaki figures out she has the orb… and passes it on to one of her children? If so, then I could grab it as she hands it over… The last thing she knew about it was that she gave it to someone, but could not remember whom, thanks to the Emperor messing with her brain. This means, she probably retains the urge to give it away. Knowing the Quincy King, he'd want for the orb to be issued to someone of equal or stronger power to hers. In the past years, that couldn't happen, for she was always more powerful than her parents and children. Now, though… If the brat is really reincarnated, he'd be the perfect person to pass it on to. In other words, I just have to sit tight and wait until that moment… Once the process is on the way, I'll force my will onto the Shinigami and get it along with Masaki. In the meantime, I want to see the extent of damage I can cause without being caught or noticed.'_

A hidden smile stretched underneath the mask-wearing male. The grin soon turned into a snicker… within seconds, Soren was laughing out loud. With a new plan formed in his head, confidence and optimism soared from his rotten soul.

Only time would tell what the mastermind had in stock for the future. Haschwalth and Bazzard, who were casually passing nearby the Regent's room, could not suppress the tinge of worry and disgust at hearing the crazed laughter.

* * *

The upcoming months since their child was born, were some of the busiest Masaki had ever had. Raising a baby, working and occasionally killing Hollows, was by no means easy. She was glad she had agreed with Isshin to allow Urahara-san to set up those barriers. Hollows were very persistent in recent days. Either that or they were fleeing from their own world.

Ever since she started dating Isshin, Masaki had made it her job to assure the other was not aware of her Hollow hunts. She may not know the specifics, but she had the sensation that it was partly or mostly her fault Isshin did not have his Shinigami powers anymore.

Once they married, she confirmed her suspicions. During a particularly restless night caused by the infant in her belly, she used her Quincy skills on Isshin. There were Reishi strings attached to her which constantly kept them connected. The Reiatsu output was not very strong. Still, if you were to count that fragment along with the part that was fed to the Gigai and one more piece which was swirling within Isshin's soul, it became natural that the male would be powerless.

She appreciated Isshin's efforts and determination to help her out back then. Even more, she loved his caring and tender side. The goofy and silly parts often brought her to tears of mirth. All in all, she strongly believed she made the right choice in both saving his life and marrying him. Judging by their little one, it sure did pay off.

Ichigo was already crawling all around the house. The first time he did go on an adventure, her heart almost stopped as the baby disappeared from her sight. How the child moved from the baby-pen at the bottom level of the house to the nursery up the stairs was something she found fascinating. His Reiatsu was still not very detectable, which was both positive and negative. It was good, for it would not attract unwanted attention, but she was a little disappointed he was not showing much of his heritage from either side of the family.

Nonetheless, she adored and loved him with all her heart. Every time she looked upon his tiny frame, she found herself smiling.

With the Clinic becoming more popular and well-known, Isshin and Masaki's workload became significantly demanding, to the point it was hard to keep track of time. There were occasions where Masaki did not even have enough energy to oversee their infant, or even feed him properly. However, where she failed, Isshin jumped up and surprised her by having taken care of the spirited youth. Though, she would have appreciated if Isshin would not forget the bottles nearby the child as often as he did. Many times, she would find Ichigo playing with the leftover bottle, which in turn meant she had to disinfect it properly before the next feeding.

The time Isshin overlooked to mention they finished the baby formula had been a disaster. Honestly how could he be so irresponsible? She had mentioned more than once to buy more when she sent him grocery-shopping. Yet, she could not find it in her to be angry or upset. Thus, she always disregarded it as part of his enthusiastic nature.

What did concern her, were the bruises the baby had at times. It was normal for children to play and bruise easily, especially one as curious and hyperactive as Ichigo. As a mother, she could not but feel responsible every instance she found a new injury, no matter how small. Isshin did always come to cheer her up when she was like that. He'd say something along the lines of:

 _"Aha! Our little boy is already exploring the world like a real man! Before long, he'll bear battle scars with pride while chasing girls around."_

No matter how often Isshin said those or similar lines, it always made her laugh out loud. Their baby was not even a year old and Isshin was already urging him to run after ladies' skirts. She'd have to be more vigilant than anticipated when Ichigo reaches puberty. Lord knows what will happen if he gets too influenced by Isshin's encouragements.

At present, she took a well-deserved break from the Clinic. Not that a mother and wife ever had a true pause, for even now, she was preparing a delicious meal for Isshin and herself in the kitchen, while Ichigo was secured inside a soft-plastic light blue and grey playpen. The child was fascinated by the colorful rattles and toys littered about. Thankfully, Ichigo seemed to dislike too much noise, therefore he rarely used the clatters for more than a few minutes per day.

Since baby teeth were growing at a steady pace, the parents made sure there were many diverse items scattered in the pen for those cases when the child wanted to nibble on something to alleviate the discomfort in its mouth.

Another beautiful trait their baby-boy possessed was his sleeping pattern. Most parents have difficulties with wakeful nights due to the baby rousing them up. With Ichigo, it rarely occurred. But whenever it did happen, it was always an emergency situation. Most of the time, Ichigo warned them whenever a Hollow was getting too close for comfort. Only once or twice did her son wake up for a random reason.

Any more thoughts were suddenly broken when Masaki heard a loud commotion in the Clinic part of the house. Letting out an exasperated breath, she braced herself for whatever may be waiting for her should she choose to help Isshin. Since the disturbance did not involve any jovial laughter, she surmised there must have been an accident somewhere nearby. At least supper was ready to be eaten later. Wouldn't be the first time they shared a cold or re-heated meal. Long live microwaves and whoever created the useful contraption.

Sparing one last glance at the child who, undisturbed by the clamor, played within the confines of the pen, Masaki made her decision. With quick strides she entered her 'nurse' mode ready to deal with whatever was going on in the Clinic.

Pity she missed the saddened face of the infant confined inside the playpen. The sorrow soon turned into happiness. The moment it was certain Masaki was long gone, a visitor made an appearance.

* * *

Ever since the day their power had been sealed, Zangetsu had trouble manifesting. The problem was persistent, but Zangetsu was more stubborn. It took him weeks to come out and even longer to maintain his form for longer than nine seconds. From what he could tell, only Ichigo was able to spot him, which was both a blessing and one hell of an inconvenience.

As long as Ichigo could see him, he knew he could be of use and more often than not, he provided the child with entertainment and food. Zangetsu found out from day one that the parents were very irresponsible, leaving the little one unprotected and unsupervised. Fine, Ichigo was a magnet for trouble, but that didn't mean the kid should be left all alone and forgotten to the point where it was famished!

The first few weeks until he was able to come out, had been disastrous for both Ichigo and Zangetsu. With no possibility to leave their Inner World, the Zanpakuto could do so much before the infant fell unconscious from lack of nutrients. Zangetsu did everything in his powers to at least keep them alive. Their saving grace was Ichigo's Reiatsu and, though it wasn't much of a food source, it acted as one and was better than nothing.

Whenever the little one fainted, Zangetsu made it his job to drag him into their shared world, make him company and feed him energy. The very second Zangetsu would sense either the father or mother approach, he'd push Ichigo into the Material World, making sure the kid would be awake and letting his hunger or other need known.

The tactic worked wonders. Ichigo being left frequently alone spurred Zangetsu to double his efforts. It sure did pay off, especially when Ichigo greeted him with an expression of outmost bliss. Though it became almost an everyday ritual, Zangetsu still got stunned every single time he became visible to his wielder. Not once had Ichigo displayed fear at his humongous presence. Instead, he was always met with pure felicity.

Looking at the child, the Zanpakuto grumbled in annoyance. Personally, did not fancy the enclosed playpen. Ichigo was a free-spirited youngster… to be locked inside a cage, no matter how soft or secure, was just wrong. It simply did not suit his owner. If you were to see his Inner World, which was a barren space alight when Ichigo is awake and shrouded in darkness when sleeps, you'd agree as well. It might be empty, but it was not restrictive.

Although Ichigo's parents were nearly always absent and Zangetsu was semi-pressured to play the role of baby-sitter, he got certain benefits from the whole ordeal. The most notable one is the weakening of the seals.

Forcing materialization did take a lot of Zangetsu's time and energy. Yet, simultaneously, it put a lot of strain on the seals. In due time, they would break and when that came to be, Zangetsu swore to search and find the repulsive creature responsible for the trauma. Judging from his slow progress, he reckoned, it would take him years to be finally rid of them.

He did achieve a lot in the short time, but it was not enough. He would not rest until the seals were off and the two of them could be free to do as they pleased.

Since coming out was draining, he could not check-up on Ichigo 24/7. He did drag the child into their Inner World when needed and yes, he did make Ichigo company when he had the energy to do so, but it was not exactly a norm among Zanpakuto's. Hell, it was utterly unheard of. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

On another note, even with the majority of their power locked away, Ichigo managed to be a magnet for Hollows. The child's Reiatsu couldn't be felt from the outside, which was great, but that did not stop certain Hollows to sniff his soul out. He lost cunt of the many nights he got woken up by a distress call. Without he full power, he wasn't able to protect his wielder properly. At least he now understood well how human spirit feel like… with the exception that more people could see them, namely Masaki.

Ichigo's mother must have realized something, right? With the amount of souls residing in their home, she couldn't have possibly not noticed that her child could see the solitary spirits and interact with them, correct? Well, guess again… She did not. She was too busy with everything else, she neglected to see what was in front of her eyes. At least she did get rid of the irksome apparitions. There was so much he could possibly do in his current condition.

Speaking of irritating, it pissed him off to no end the fact that Ichigo always got hurt when he was not around! Seriously, what was with that? Why did he have to come out and find new cuts and bruises? Fine, the kid was energetic and could have injured himself… he was a child after all… but it did not add up.

There were also times he could sense something was wrong… The bad thing is, those incidences were not specific and happened at random and more often than not, during the hours he was taking a nap.

Judging from the way the parents dotted on Ichigo, when they were around, he couldn't imagine putting the blame on either one of them. Yet, Ichigo got mostly wounded while he was in their care. In Zangetsu's opinion, the mother was too careful and the father was bat-shit crazy, but couldn't picture either one of them going as far as to injure the little one.

Disregarding his thoughts, since they weren't helping him much, Zangetsu focused on getting Ichigo out of the playpen. The more he tried to interact with inanimate objects, random spirits and Hollows, the sooner he would break free and could properly touch the young one again.

He missed holding the baby in his hands… yearned to feel his caresses. Yes, it happened only once in the Material World, but he longed for those gestures all over again. He did get plenty of those whenever he got Ichigo within their minds-cape… but it never lasted long, either he had to return him because the kid needed something and his parents were actually around or they would be both too tired to keep the connection.

Sometimes, somehow, in the middle of the night, Ichigo would end up in their Inner World. He had no idea how the baby did it, but he didn't mind the late-night visits. Though they spent a lot of time together, he did find it fascinating that Ichigo seemed to be looking for something or someone. It was almost like the infant knew there was supposed to be someone else there.

It was a bitter-sweet experience. Sad at first, for Ichigo would try so hard to locate an individual that wasn't there. The gloomy face and disheartened feel of the infant's aura caused Zangetsu to be brokenhearted whenever the child finished the futile search. Nonetheless, within minutes, Ichigo would be back to normal, jumping around and nuzzling the great beast-like Zanpakuto.

All in all, Zangetsu strongly believed they were on the right path. With Ichigo instinctively searching for his missing soul pieces, it was only a matter of time before they were restored to their full strength.

Glancing at the playpen, he was pleased to see that he finally managed to unzip the fastener which was keeping Ichigo locked in place. The baby clapped and giggled at the sight of freedom. With a steady pace, the child moved from the playpen and tried to grab a hold of the gentle giant. It was fortunate Zangetsu got used to moving on all fours, with his height it would have been impossible to otherwise move around.

Normally, this was the way they would spend the majority of the day, exploring around the house or the garden which was accessible from the backdoor. Today though, an unexpected turn of events blew the Zanpakuto's mind. Instead of going in a random direction, Ichigo was focused on Zangetsu's tail.

Afraid to scare the infant, Zangetsu remained still as a statue, while the little one started to prod at the appendage. The gesture was unexpected and surreal. Until then, Ichigo was not able to touch the materialized Zangetsu. Today, he did it. Zangetsu knew he himself was not capable of touching much in the Living World, yet this new development was a welcomed change.

Sensing that the big creature did not mind the touch, Ichigo became even bolder. Instead of poking at the long unknown limb, the infant decided to grasp it. As there were no changes in behavior, the little one went even further and started to climb up the tail. The movements were slow and deliberate, as though the baby refused to hurt his big companion. The movements did not stop, until Ichigo reached the mighty shoulders and spikes. Only then did the baby falter. It did not know where else to go. Thus, instead, it decided to nuzzle the long locks of hair so similar yet different from his own.

Zangetsu, who remained immobile, was stunned by such a development. He had not seen that one coming. Pleased with the caresses he had yearned for, he could not suppress purring sounds from escaping his lips, nor the slight vibrations that action caused. It did not look like Ichigo minded one bit, on the contrary, the child smiled and used his tiny hands to rub and pat the Zanpakuto in an effort to produce as many of those sounds as he could. Zangetsu basked in the attention and enjoyed himself very much. Before long, both were so content in each other's company, they all but forgot about exploring the world around them.

It would be hours later that Masaki would return to find the infant lying asleep on the ground just outside the playpen. Putting a mental blame on Isshin, she shook her head while smiling. Taking the child from the ground, she made sure to change and wash the little one without rousing it from its slumber. Soon after, she took him to the cradle. Once the baby was settled, she made her way back to the kitchenette where she prepared two plates for herself and her husband, content with her life.

* * *

Moving around the barracks of the Sixth division, Ossan was having a relatively calm day. There were no Hollows attacking Soul Society, no drills scheduled for the afternoon nor did he have any tasks in particular to perform. It was calm and serene, a particularly rare instance.

Not that he was complaining. In fact, he enjoyed the pleasant weather and lack of Shirosaki's presence. He cared for the albino dearly, though he did like occasional moments of solitude. As for Shirosaki, the Hybrid was escorting several seated officers in the Rukongai for a standard mission. The assignment was simple, scout several districts for any sings of mutiny against Soul Society and get rid of any threats including roaming Hollows.

In recent years, Shinigami were not disappearing as much as they did in the past. From what the Shinigami knew, Shiba Isshin, ex-Taichou of the Tenth Division had been labeled a traitor and the one responsible for the missing agents. All of this had been meticulously reported and affirmed by one Aizen Sosuke.

He hated to give the mad-man any praise, but had to admit that blaming Shiba Isshin had been a genius move. Since the investigation was lead by three Taichou, including Aizen, the male worked diligently and twisted any and all evidences against him to his benefit, while pointing all accusations towards the absent former Taichou.

When you looked at the consequences, it was sad, really, for that incident spilled the last drop of patience Central 46 had for the Shiba Family. Although the main branch head, Shiba Kaien, was not considered responsible and there were no signs that any other family member was involved in the case, the old fools decided to punish the entire Clan by removing it from the list of Noble Houses.

Needless to say, the Shiba's didn't take it well. At the same time, they did not seem to care much either. They were certain Isshin was innocent and framed. Nevertheless, they complied for the sake of peace, stating that it was irrelevant whether they were recognized as Nobles or not. After all, no one would be able to remove the task the Reiou gave them, therefore, they did not feel it was a major loss.

Some of them even joked, stating it was a blessing in disguise, for now they would not be forced to attend annoying, boring and long meetings with other Clan Heads and could marry and do as they pleased, as long as they did not break the law.

With a light exhale, Ossan wondered, not for the first time, if Isshin was made aware of the situation in Soul Society. With Yoruichi going back and forth between Worlds, Urahara must be aware, especially since Shirosaki and Ossan themselves had given him the account on all that was happening.

Yes, it was not his problem and, knowing Aizen, it would have probably occurred sooner or later. Yet, he could not put it out of his head that the incident came before its supposed time precisely because of the events played in Karakura.

Oh well, at the end of the day Masaki was happy, Isshin was certainly content as well, they wouldn't have gotten married, the Shiba's were understanding and did their own things their way… Everything appeared to have been for the best, but only time would tell if they made the right decision.

Without realizing it, Ossan found himself in the open, outside the barracks. He was relatively used to his assignments and tasks that he would finish them early and spend most of his time outside of the Squad. One thing he could not get accustomed to was the Shinigami uniform.

The traditional wear was terrible to remove and stuffy on sunny days. Carrying a nameless Zanpakuto and being dressed in the cloths of his old enemies was curious and unusual. He pondered why he was able to become accustomed to the white and blue uniform of the students at the Academy while it was such so bothersome to dress in the black and white uniform.

If nothing else, he now had a better understanding of the entire organization. Back in his days as the Emperor, things were different. Yes, the Academy was running, however he was not sure how much apprentices were taught back then. He could count on one hand the number of troops who knew how to use Kido in the old age. Now, almost everyone knew how to use the art, besides him.

It wasn't surprising that he could not perform Kido. It was a Shinigami technique and though he was capable to tweak and manipulate Reishi at will, it wasn't exactly the same. The only reason he passed the final test, was due to him memorizing the spells and theory rather than for his performance. His fighting and sword skills were an added bonus which helped him greatly.

Shirosaki, too did not display much interest in that particular field. They were fortunate Urahara Kisuke considered that into their resume. Having been supposedly raised from one of the worst parts of the Rukongai, no one expected much out of them. Many were surprised they ended up in the Sixth. It was customary for the lower level 'scum' to sing-up at the Eleventh.

Presently, Kuchiki-Taichou was not giving them much attention nor difficulties. They were considered lower soldiers with no spectacular abilities besides brains and brawn. At the very beginning, the Kuchiki Noble approached them demanding respect and to behave appropriately as members of his Division. With them being naught but 'filth' the Taichou felt the need to accentuate those two terms.

Shirosaki sure did relish in proving the stoic Taichou wrong. Not once did he misbehave in the last couple of years. Except when they were doing their business behind everyone's back… Fine, Shirosaki did slip once in a while during assignments with division members. Though, Ossan did not blame him, the officers were a sad bunch of wimps. Sure, they did uphold rules and regulations, acted as uptight as their Taichou and have some skills. But that was definitely not good enough for war situations or true survival.

They lacked experience, discipline to see flaws in their moves and the wish to improve themselves. With such weak resolve to do anything rather than drink, eat, do a flimsy job and sleep, they would never be strong enough to achieve anything in life… afterlife. Huh… if that is the case, no wonder someone smart enough couldn't stand to see the stand-still situation and use it to his advantage. Honestly, should he be forced to remain in Soul Society longer than a decade or two, he might do the same. Anything to see this society move in any direction, be it good or wrong.

Taking a deep breath, Ossan shook his head in amusement. Typical of him to want to see everyone doing their absolute best no matter the circumstances. Years could come and pass-by, still, he would never be able to lose that which made him an Emperor. He had witnessed many inexperienced youngsters reach for the stars and then going beyond. The way he had set-up his rule, encouraged such behavior, while his fairness resulted in nearly unbreakable loyalties.

Considering everything, Ichigo had been a true candidate to take over his empire. The child was brave, stubborn, gentle and an amazing fighter. One thing which escalated all others, was Ichigo's desire to protect. Never had his grandson fought for anything else. The unbreakable and unwavering determination pushed him to the limits and past all obstacles. There was no crazed need to beat everyone to a pulp or overly display his superiority, he battled for a good cause and motivated the rest of the troops with ease, earning respect and devotion in the process.

 _'Will we get to see you again my son? Will you ever forgive this old fool for having been blind to your pain?'_

Memories of the fiery boy always brought a sense of melancholy and failure, hence the main reason neither Shirosaki nor Ossan mentioned Ichigo's name since his death. There were more motives behind it, like the unusual flashbacks he experienced very now and then. Shirosaki would not tell him what it was about and with Ossan forgetting them immediately after such episodes, it was hard to keep track of them.

Occasionally, he would remember and have vivid images, though in those instances, he was not sure if those were recollections or horrible delusions of might have transpired under his nose.

Ossan was startled from his misery by a hand on his shoulders. He had been so out of it, he neglected to sense anything or anyone around him. A most uncommon mistake from his side. Luckily, the individual whom approached him was well known for being a nice guy, if a little overpowered and sickly.

"Hello there. I believe you might have gotten a little too far from your Division young man. Pardon me, but it is a bit unusual to see anyone roaming around the Thirteenth old training grounds. I dare say, most of my own men do not know how to get here."

Looking around, Ossan became aware his feet took him in someplace he had never been to before. It was a nice location… grass fields from all sides with a dug-up area, which, he surmised, was a working out land of sorts. As he had to turn around to face the speaker, Ossan was met by kind green eyes, black eyebrows and long white hair. It was none other than Ukitake Jushiro, Taichou of Squad Thirteen.

Of all the people he might have encountered in his dazed state, he couldn't have come upon a better man. The sickly Taichou was well known and adored by many in Soul Society. It was common fact that the male was a highly honorable one, treating everyone with respect no matter of the rank or position.

Deciding to go with the 'truth', Ossan bowed as expected from his current low standing and addressed the Taichou with appropriate esteem.

"My apologies, Ukitake-Taichou, I was thinking a lot and my feet carried me on their own accord. It won't happen again."

The genuine shock and surprise Ukitake had detected from the young man in front of him, made him believe the guy was telling the truth. Not to mention, the astonishment in sapphire-blue eyes when the youngster was prompted to orient himself.

"Ma, don't worry about it much. I understand. Though, I have to wonder what one as young as you might be pondering upon so deeply to disregard everything around. You know, it could get you killed."

Ossan was not surprised in the least on how accurate and perceiving the Taichou was. Having learned pretty much everything regarding the Taichou and their history, he was well aware that this was one of two of Yamamoto's personal disciples. The very first duo that became Taichou after graduating from the Academy and holding that title for centuries. Thus, he looked up, meeting the man's gaze without falter. Hell would freeze over before he confided his darkest thoughts to anyone working on Yamamoto's payroll.

Sensing the 'little one' was not up for conversation, Ukitake softly exhaled. Determining that they were in the open with chances of anyone listening on their conversation, he did what came naturally and invited the youth to his barracks for a cup of tea. As for Ossan, there was no plausible way to decline such an invitation without appearing suspicious of one thing or another. Without much trouble, he agreed and followed the white haired Taichou to his personal office.

Once in the Taichou's office, he had to bite his lips from letting any sounds loose. He had all but forgotten about Shiba Kaien, the Fuku-Taichou and the uncanny resemblance the raven-black haired man had with Ichigo. They could nearly pass as twins. Once again, he had to remind himself to watch for the differences rather than the similarities, which, in this case, were numerous. Even in attitude and behavior, there were many semblances. Fortunately, not all characteristics were the same. In fact, he dared say, Ichigo had been much more outspoken.

Regrettably, his minor blunder did not go unnoticed by the Taichou. Not that he himself had cared enough to realize his little mistake. Having felt the loneliness in the 'younger' man, Ukitake-Taichou asked his second in command to check if their two Fourth Seats were working or goofing around. With it being an every-day duty, Shiba Kaien was unfazed by the semi-order and went in search of the troublesome duo, leaving the two behind.

Silence befell the office, neither one wanting to be the first to speak up. That is, until tea arrived and Ukitake had lost to his curiosity.

"If I recall correctly, you are one of Kuchiki-Taichou's newer recruits. Hino-san am I right?"

There was no harm in answering such an innocent question. Regardless, Ossan opted for just nodding his head in confirmation.

"My… not very talkative, are you? Though, I did hear you are the quiet type. If there is anything you'd wish to talk about, know that my doors are always open."

That had been unexpected. The Taichou was talking as if he knew more than he let on. Feigning ignorance, Ossan tried his luck.

"I appreciate your kind offer, Ukitake-Taichou and will keep it in mind. Although, there is not much to be discussed. Just memories from a long time ago…"

From ages of experience, Ossan knew that the best way to obscure your true intentions, is by stating as much truth as you can possibly get away with. With it, at least the opponent was open and their motives became clearer. Most of all, by being honest, you appealed to their own morals and indirectly coerced them into confessing their own goals. A unique ability gained through the ages, which could fool anyone, even a Taichou as knowledgeable as Ukitake Jushiro.

"Ah, I see. It must not have been easy living in Kusajishi and it must have been even harder to go through the Academy, passing it and becoming a full-fledged Shinigami, especially one under Kuchiki-Taichou. After all, the standards and requirements are very demanding."

Ossan wished he could roll his eyes. Demanding standards? More like absolutely laughable. Besides having to uphold the law and reinforce it, there wasn't much going on. Even the trainings were child's play, at least to individuals of his and Shirosaki's caliber. No, the Taichou was trying to make him talk in an indirect way, in a nice and semi-cunning matter. Going with the flow, he chose to play this game of wits.

"It would be highly inappropriate of me or anyone else to soil the workings of one's own Division. My state of turmoil had nothing to do with my duties or workload Ukitake-Taichou. As mentioned, I was minding my own business, recalling certain events from my past and figuring a way to make things better."

His words must have surprised the tactful Taichou. He had spilled more cards than was common during this kind of game, not that the other knew he was playing around and gathering data.

"Am I to presume these memories happen to have something to do with your partner whom resembles my Fuku-Taichou, right? Excuse my unexpected question, but your sadness at the sight of my subordinate was palpable. I can imagine, it must be bothering you to be separated from your companion. I mean, I haven't seen the two of you away from one another for extended periods of time."

Ossan did not see that question coming, but went along.

"The answer is both yes and no. No, because it has nothing to do with Akira. And yes, both Akira and Shiba-Fuku-Taichou are similar to an individual I miss dearly."

It was Ukitake's turn to be amazed. Normally, it took a lot more to get sorrowful people to talk about what bothered them. For one as young looking as the preteen, it sure sounded like he was carrying a very heavy weight upon his soul. Taking care of his family, his duties as a Shinigami, as a Taichou, as a mentor and teacher, but most importantly as a friend, he could sympathize.

"I understand if you do not want to talk about whatever occurred. Just note that it is in the past and life goes on. I'm sure this _friend_ of yours would have wanted for you to have a happy existence… I hope you don't mind if we jump from one theme to another. Please do not think badly of me, however, I have been meaning to talk to your and your partner for a while now."

Bingo! Now the real match begun. Acting intrigued with a small dose of curiosity, Ossan played his next act like a pro.

"Really? I… why… it's an honor. Even though, I'm not sure what Akira and I could possibly interest you with… I mean… we're nothing special, being from the lowest of the possible low. Kusajishi is really not a nice place to grow up in and there are no nice connections or customs we could share with a Taichou such as yourself. But if you believe there is anything we may be of service to you, Ukitake-Taichou, it would be a great privilege for two poor newbies."

The humble performance paid off, for it appeared as if Ukitake bit the bait. The notion was semi-confirmed by his next statement.

"No need to be nervous. Quite the opposite. First of all, I would like to thank you both for saving Kuchiki-Taichou a few night ago."

Drat! They had been spotted after all! He had argued with Shihouin-san about their latest rescue mission. The plan she proposed had been too rash, wild and downright absurd. He had forewarned, they could easily get caught if not by the assassins, then by any other Shinigami loitering around. Did anyone listen? Of course not! Else this wouldn't be a thing! Fortunately, Aizen had not been in Seireitei that evening or their cover would have been blown.

"Ukitake-Taichou, I am well aware I won't be able to pull the wool over your eyes. Therefore, I'll get to the point… Akira and I were hired by a certain person to keep tabs on Kuchiki Byakuya in order to assure he lives long enough to witness the next century. No matter what you do or say, we won't disclose who is our patron, nor will we divulge further data. Just know, that what we're doing will be beneficial to Soul Society in the long run."

To say Ukitake was taken off-guard, would be an understatement. He had correctly guessed the two were no regular Shinigami and probably entered the Academy with the sole purpose to infiltrate their ranks. Or, that was what he had wanted to confirm… But to be bluntly told one of their goals, while insinuating there were more, was beyond crazy. Why jeopardize the entire mission from one flimsy investigation? Unless, the stakes were higher than he ever imagined.

"Hino-san, you aren't just a scoundrel from the Rukongai. From the little I could gather, you might not even be from Kusajishi. Your mannerism, behavior and intellect far transcend that of a normal lost soul. Just, who are you two? Most of all, are you a threat?"

Chuckling under his breath, Ossan gave the shocked Taichou a jovial look.

"With all due respect, if you ever suspected even for a second we were a danger to Seireitei or Soul Society in general, we wouldn't be having this conversation now, would we? No, you want to reaffirm your doubts, see what we are and figure us out by talking us into coming out peacefully. Of all the Taichou's who might have approached us, you were always the first that came to mind. The sole one intelligent enough to realize something is wrong."

He didn't receive an answer for his troubles, hence, Ossan pushed a few more buttons.

"What you want from us is loyalty and a chance to monitor us without raising too much suspicion onto yourself. Undoubtedly, you prepared a trinket you'd wish for us to carry around, a tracker which would be able to tell you our location, Reiatsu pattern and could probably capture our conversations."

The slight widening of the others' eyes was proof enough for the Emperor caged in a boy's body.

"A delightful plan from your side. Nevertheless, you neglected to count the probability of us being alert to such trickery. As it stands, you are not the only one who wants to control us. Our 'benefactor' is much the same. Since we are working alongside that man, we don't complain too much. A request from a third party, however, will be politely declined. Akira is not fond of such gadgets and tends to…ahem… overreact."

The white-haired Taichou did not move an inch, although, Ossan could tell he was tense. No matter how good one was at hiding his feelings, a well-trained Quincy was more than capable to sense even the slightest change in demeanor. Being the father of all Quincies, Ossan was the best in this particular field.

"Fear not. As I did say, we are not plotting against Soul Society. Quite the opposite, we are here to help. I know it sounds odd, but have you ever wondered why so many Shinigami disappeared? Why the case suddenly stopped? Surely, you don't believe that all was done singlehandedly? Shiba Isshin might have been a great warrior and a Noble, but a mastermind with an agenda… not so much. From the little I know about him, he is very lax and not the greatest strategist. That alone should tell you enough."

"Are you saying, you want to prove Shiba's innocence? I find that hard to believe. Why would you care about someone who is considered **MIA***? Moreover, even if that was a fact, it would only mean Isshin was your sponsor. But then, it would be pointless to protect Byakuya, wouldn't it?"

Ossan liked the way the guy was thinking. At least he showed some brains, unlike the guy that was sitting outside the office listening on their conversation. Even with being good at hiding Reiatsu, the idiot forgot that alcohol could be smelt more than felt. Typical, you don't get one without the other. The two Taichous were a package deal. You couldn't get one without the other. Especially, not for this long. Ossan took a calming breath, no point in displaying his skills. It was better, if the two were under the illusion, he didn't know about the other one.

"You don't see the whole picture. I said: 'We are here to help'. The Shiba case is not the only injustice which befell your world. There were other situations. By now, most of them, long forgotten. They even occurred in a time when the Shiba you're mentioning was probably not even a Fuku-Taichou. More like, on the verge of becoming one. I will tell you this: there is an impostor in Seireitei, a genius playing a dangerous game. Should he succeed, the world as you know it, will cease to exist. To put it lightly, you are dealing with an egocentric maniac with a God complex."

The raise of a black eyebrow, was the only sign of skepticism Ukitake allowed himself. He was under the impression the young Shinigami was either utterly mad or great at lying. As if reading through his unspoken thoughts, the 'child' proceeded.

"Can't believe me, can you? Hah, that is utterly irrelevant… at least, for me. Yet, I'd kindly ask you to keep this to heart… One day, Akira and I will have no choice but vanish. When that time comes, know that we were getting too close to unravel the mole and were either taken out the hard way or we had no options but to retreated and escape. Whichever comes first. Should this occur, I'd like to ask you to be vigilant of your fellow Taichou. Oh, except Yamamoto-Sōtaichō, Soi-Fon-Taichou, Unohana-Taichou, Kuchiki-Taichou Komamura-Taichou, Kyoraku-Taichou, Kenpachi-Taichou and yourself. The rest, I'd keep at arm's length, if I were you."

Ossan left his statement sink deep within the mind and heart of the docile Taichou. Soon after, before the Taichou could process the new data, he stood-up concluding the whole conversation.

"Thank you for the tea and chat Ukitake-Taichou. It would appear Akira and the rest of the group has returned. I should make my way back as well. If you could, please consider our conversation and do keep it a secret. I wish you a good day."

Without further prompting, Ossan left the room, making sure to go in the opposite direction of the 'hiding' Taichou.

The man in question is a tall, light-skinned Shinigami with high cheekbones, grey eyes and long wavy brown hair tied in a ponytail decorated with two pin-wheel hairpins. Long bangs frame the left side of his face while thin facial hair surround his mouth and partly his cheeks. Wearing a **Sugegasa*** straw hat, no **tabi*** with the Shinigami sandals and a pink, flowered lady's kimono, which was draped across the shoulders over the Taichou's Haori, the male gave the appearance of a laid-back womanizer.

This is none other than Kyoraku-Taichou. Once assured Hino-san's presence was long gone, he joined his stunned friend and for some time, neither uttered a single syllable. Unable to stop himself, Kyoraku was the first to break the silence.

"What do you think? You know I'm not good at reading minds, even if that is yours."

The semi-compliment was the right push to make Ukitake spill the beans.

"I'm not sure. The only thing I know is that there were no lies in his words. I'm not going to say he gave us more than necessary, but enough to make us reconsider."

Kyoraku was thinking around the same lines. Much had been discussed in those short minutes, yet more than anticipated.

"Hmm. These guys sure did put you in a tight spot. Especially by saving Byakuya's life. What if that is all a farce? What if they meant for you to see them do it?"

The concentration on Ukitake's features, made him pause. Kyoraku was finger crossing his partner would re-affirm his own thoughts.

"No. They were really immersed in that saving attempt. Besides, there would be no point in giving us that data and not something else. Also, the slight twitch in his face tells me he was upset at having been noticed. We should concentrate on keeping tabs on the two while simultaneously be under the impression that what he said was partly true. We may be facing an enemy right under our noses and be blindsided just because they are one of us."

Content with the outcome, Kyoraku tipped his straw hat, obscuring the tiny smile forming on his face.

"Heh. I knew I could get you all worked-up. If you believe this to be our best choice, I'm game. We'll bring it up with Yama-ji when we have concrete evidence at hand. You know how he gets when we have naught but speculations."

With a nod of his head, Ukitake sealed their agreement and right on time too, for the door was suddenly busted open with three figures running amok. Kotetsu Kiyone and Kotsubaki Sentarō were running in circles while avoiding a peeved Shiba Kaien from capturing them. It would appear it was one of those days.

Ukitake never minded much the playful nature of his subordinates. On the contrary, he felt it always brought a breath of fresh air metaphorically and literally. By the end of the day, he would have to arrange for a new door to replace the crumbled pieces at the entrance. His men sure knew how to break tense moments in the best imaginable and unbelievable ways.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. If I made a mistake along the way, please let me know. Sorry for repeating the same parts all over again xD_

 ***MIA*** – for those wondering it is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. Such individuals may have been killed, wounded, captured, or deserted. If dead there are no remains or graves which can be positively identified.

 ***Sugegasa*** straw hat – is a type of traditional Japanese hats. Some of these are known as: amigasa, jingasa, sandogasa and takuhatsugasa.

 ***Tabi*** – are traditional Japanese socks dating back to the 15th century. They are ankle-high and with a separation between the big toe and other toes. These are worn by both men and women with zori, geta, and other traditional footwear. Tabi are also essential with traditional clothing, such as kimono as well as being worn by samurai in the feudal era. The most common color is white which are worn in formal situations like at tea ceremonies. Men sometimes wear blue or black tabi for travelling. Patterned and colored tabi are also available and are worn mostly by women, though they are gaining popularity among men as well. In contrast to socks that, when pulled on, fit the foot snugly, tabi are sewn from cloth cut to form. They are open at the back so they can be slipped on and have a row of fasteners along the opening so they can be closed.

 _Until next time, enjoy! :D_


	35. Chapter 35

_Hello everyone! How are you on this splendid day?_

 _I hope you're great, for I'm bringing chapter XXXV in the house and with it my official transition from AkemiRyuShuichi to Cass Ichirof._

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings all as per usual:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Heads-up, it's done, I officially changed my penname from AkemiRyuShuichi to Cass Ichirof!

Hopefully I won't confuse anyone with this little change ^_^

Thanks to everyone for your continuous support and reviews. You have no idea how happy each comment makes me feel even days afterwards. Just seeing new people Reading, Following and or Favoriting is enough to push me to write more, the reviews fill me with immense joy and make me realize how much this story means to you and, in turn, to me :D

Just a quick FYI: this chapter was hard as hell to make due to fluffiness and sugary sweetness – you have been warned! I'm usually not good with cute, but I tried my best to make it work. Hopefully, you'll love it :D

Without further ado, enjoy the latest chapter.

* * *

 _Chapter XXXV_

* * *

Aizen Sosuke was having a relatively calm day. With the lack of 'true' enemies, Soul Society enjoyed peace. Such a shame prosperity was not on the menu. At the exception of the Research and Development Institute. The Twelfth sure did change a lot with the arrival of Urahara Kisuke, only to be moderately improved by the lunatic Kurotsuchi Mayuri.

Pity, the other was not interested in the same research as his predecessor. If only Kurotsuchi would create a similar orb to the Hogyoku, he might expedite his own plans. Alas, that did not seem to be the case. No, Kurotsuchi was far more interested in artificial life, limbs and bodily updates rather than the science of the soul.

No matter, sooner or later, Aizen would get his hands on either Urahara himself, his Hogyoku or the Vizards group of miscreants. He did not show it on his face, but in recent decades his plans were moving extremely slowly. Without a steady flow of energy to nourish his own Hogyoku, the sphere fell asleep. A stunning revelation which brought him to consider the idea that Urahara's must be in a dormant state. If that is to be the case, he'd have even more trouble in locating the device.

Speaking of gadgets, ever since experiment 'White' was lost by the hands of the Quincy girl and the ex-Shiba-Taichou, none of his monitoring cameras appeared to be working properly. Yet another bothersome trait he associated with Urahara Kisuke. The man was a genius, much like himself, and found a method to render him utterly blind to the events occurring in the World of the Living.

Hah! As though such schemes were enough to make him pause. On the contrary, they motivated him even further to find a way to overcome the well-played game. By his estimates, the ex-Shiba member was probably in some sort of Gigai, similar to the one Urahara prepared for the Vizards. That alone was able to mask the ex-Taichou's Reiatsu signature. Thus, any attempts to locate Shiba Isshin via Reiatsu, was useless.

The Quincy though, was a different story. He just had to catch a few Hollows and get them to work as his eyes and ears. It wasn't long before he noticed a pattern and, soon after, a complete turnover. At one point, the girl became pregnant. That discovery alone was simply, remarkable. What were the chances that she married the Shiba fool and conceived a child? From his latest Hollow victims, exceedingly high and accurate.

It took forever, but he did manage to get a glimpse of the child. A boy, with atrocious hair, and chocolate-brown eyes. At first, Aizen was upset the child did not emanate even a sliver of Reiatsu. Imagine his surprise, when he finally made it to get a new device in town and discover that, within the boy, a fountain of Reiatsu was specially sealed away.

It must have been yet another one of Urahara's ploys. How the scientist convinced the parents to do something this restricting to the kid, was beyond his comprehension. Although, the couple did fight against 'White'. Perhaps, it had not been a difficult choice. Especially if Urahara told them he would be interested in the boy. Urahara was certainly right. It was fascinating to know that a child could be born from a Quincy and Shinigami. Even better, was the fact that the Quincy had been infected by a Hollow. The fact that the girl survived the bite, was a miracle on its own. By his estimates, the child was a perfect balance of all species: Human, Quincy, Hollow, Shinigami. A second miracle.

As it stands, the child was the perfect candidate to push him to his limits and go beyond. Since he entertained the idea of merging with the Hogyoku, he knew he'd become invincible. But what would the fun be if you could get powerful without a challenger? A real competition? Given enough time and motivation, the kid could be able to harness the strength of all races and, by default, reach new heights. Just thinking of the opportunity to fight to his heart's content and discover the ultimate stages of the Hogyoku, was giving him goosebumps.

Now, the main concern was to trigger those properties hidden within the child. He would have to push the correct buttons and figure out how to go beyond the seals. With the difficulty of getting proper data, this strategy was slightly postponed. In due time, Urahara would slip, or the boy would activate his powers all on his own. Oh well, there was no rush. Aizen was a patient man. Either the kid discovered his inner strength or Aizen would 'guide' him in the correct direction. Whether it be the former or last, was absolutely irrelevant for it would be done.

Satisfied with his mental plans, Aizen calmly made his way throughout one of the many forests in the **Junrinan*** , the 1st District within the West Rukongai. Be it fate, coincidence or a lucky strike, he found an interesting Hollow hiding about. Pretending not to see the beast and continuing his stroll, he made sure to catch it off guard.

By the first attack, he could tell this Hollow had some unique properties. It would be such a shame to miss the golden opportunity. Therefore, without second guessing, Aizen made quick work of the Hollow and injected it with a substance he had been working on. It would be the first time he used this particular liquid and he couldn't wait to see what it would yield.

It would be one of those rare instances when Aizen let things move mostly of their own accords. He would only prompt the now unconscious Hollow to pay a visit to a certain boy in the next couple of hours. If everything proceeded as he imagined, it would be an unexpected _birthday_ surprise…

* * *

Urahara Kisuke was feeling a little smug these past few years. Ever since the Hollow accident which forced Shiba Isshin to leave his Shinigami life behind, there hadn't been any major disasters. At least until Isshin and Masaki had their child.

He occasionally wondered if he did make the best decision by sealing the boy's Reiatsu. His sole consolation, was the fact that he had not seen the monstrous Hollow around the kid anymore. However, once the child awoke his powers, he'd be in serious trouble. With the Hollow confined, it would likely return with vengeance. Before that happened, he'd have to contact Shinji Hirako and his group to train the young one on how to control his Inner Hollow. Until then, he had plenty of time to spare.

Aizen's attempts to investigate what became of his creation were rendered futile. A feat he enjoyed immensely. Now, if he could get his hands on his 'sleeping' Hogyoku, everything would be just fine.

The hidden Hogyoku was his main worry. Before he came to the Living World, he hid the gem inside the soul of a sleeping girl in the Rukongai. He later discovered, that the same girl, joined the Shinigami Academy not too long after and was somehow related to Kuchiki Byakuya. Not how he imagined things to proceed. But hey, not everything goes as planned.

His original goal was to dispose of the Hogyoku. As that became impossible, his second option was to make it disappear. What better option than to camouflage it within the body of a random Rukongai citizen? He was so concentrated on sheltering the object, he neglected to realize how much Reiatsu the girl possessed. Her resemblance to the late Kuchiki Hisana, was yet another miscalculation. Not that he had much time to take everything into account. Really, after using the Hogyoku to stabilize Shinji and his group, he had only minutes to find an appropriate soul and bury the item away.

Based on the information Yoruichi and the others provided him with, the Hogyoku remained concealed. That was a huge relief. Should Aizen get the orb… Reiou help them. There was something bothering him and it was Aizen's motivation to 'create', more like 'activate' his jewel and even more so, the reason behind his desire to own both.

Could it be that Aizen understood the full property behind the gem? It was plausible… After all, he did spend much more time playing with the gemstone than he did. Even before the incident with Shinji, he had wanted to get rid of it and was researching how to go about it.

No point in crying over spilled milk. Someday, he would be punished appropriately for his crime against the newly appointed lady Kuchiki. But right now, he had other things he had to deal with.

The influx of Hollows finally settled down and Karakura was not swarming with the same amount as before. Nonetheless, those few Hollows a day where considerably stronger than the dozen skimpy ones they disposed-off a few years ago.

Masaki was back in full force, which was a great help. It was rare for her to leave her child unattended to go Hollow hunting. In most cases, Isshin would stay with the boy and play around. Seems like the role of father fit him perfectly. He always saw the Shiba Clan member fooling around and laughing. Utterly different from his goofing or serious, business-like old self.

Perhaps, that had been a stroke of luck. Masaki was also very pleased with her husband, her job and her newfound family. There were no traces of regret in any of their Reiatsu signatures.

Today, though, was a special day. It was little Kurosaki-san's third birthday. The reason why it was so singular, was because both Urahara and Tessai were invited to join the celebration. It was the first time Urahara would be allowed anywhere near the boy since his birth. Apparently, Isshin out a few good words for him or something. Otherwise Urahara would have been reduced to observe from afar as usual.

What?! He had good intentions! Mostly… Urgh! Fine! The little one was adorable. He couldn't and wouldn't deny that detail. As he grew, little Ichigo was becoming even more irresistible. The boy's cheerfulness, curiosity, growth development, kindness and tenderness made him a magnet and Urahara was the metal which did not resist the magnet's pull.

It was enthralling and distressing. Urahara had never been good with children nor around them. And here he was, wanting to be close to the little one as much as possible. Too bad, Masaki kept him at bay. But not today!

With a jolly tune, Urahara placed the last touches on the gift for the growing three-year-old. It was a personalized educational kit of Urahara's own invention. All substances used were edible, but resistant to microbes. Just in case the young one decides to try the unusual items with his mouth.

The toys he crafted were plush and soft to the touch, yet too big to swallow even for an adult. For the fun of it, they could change sizes depending on the Reiatsu input and output, something he would explain to Masaki.

There was also a little science kit at the bottom, which could be fun to play with as the liquids could change colors when mixed with others. Of course, all articles were fashioned in such a way they could not be harmful. Quite the opposite, they were made to nurture the natural inquisitiveness the boy displayed.

The science kit was a little something from his side. Tessai had requested to add a little bit of counting, math an game of words which Urahara gladly prepared. It wouldn't be fair to have his own way and not allow other opinions on the child's academic development.

He was pretty sure, Masaki would consider the present too dangerous or too early. One or the other. Luckily, he was a man of many talents and thinking ahead of the game was his specialty. He already had a speech prepared on defending his creation for the boy's benefit. It didn't hurt that he had explored the many toys and games children Ichigo's ages played with their parents. Worst case scenario, they would at least use the word and counting games.

Dressed in his usual green attire with his bucket hat and clogs. He finished the preparations and called Tessai. It was about time they made their way to the party-house.

* * *

Masaki was having a blast. It was a busy day, what with all the patients and preparations for Ichigo's birthday, she had her hands full. But because it was her son's birthday, she was enjoying to the fullest. Her good mood was amplified by an announcement she intended to make to her husband and baby-boy.

Speaking of Ichigo, he was trying really hard to help her around with her duties. Ever since he spoke, she dared say he became even more adorable than before. He was a little cry-baby at times, but easily smiled. It didn't take much to see the little ball of sunshine radiating the contagious happiness. In fact, Ichigo's positive energy was one of the reasons she relented to Isshin's request to invite Urahara Kisuke for the party. Isshin's excuse was that hadn't it been for Urahara, the two of them would have never met. Consequently, they would not be celebrating on this sunny day.

She wished she could have called Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san to join as well. From what Urahara told her and Isshin, a few weeks ago, they went deep into Hueco Mundo to look for something valuable which could put an end to a certain madman's plans. It was sad, but no unexpected. After all, she was the one to insist they were kept in the dark of her growing family. She wanted to see them desperately, but not at the cost of them risking their lives.

Judging from the incident and later by their explanation, she knew it was for the best they took care of the dangerous and mysterious Aizen Sosuke. Thinking back, she did try her best not to be angry at them for leaving her alone. Then again, she was never truly lonely. Isshin had been there, Urahara, Tessai and their visits were frequent.

As time passed by, she willingly made the request to only come back when everything was done. It was both for their convenience, the undercover mission they were working on and for her own mental health. She loved them dearly, but seeing them hurt every time they had to return to Soul Society was a bummer they all experienced. In cutting those ties, she knew they would be more concentrated on their task and less worried about her.

Never did the idea even cross her mind that they may have forgotten about her. Shirosaki-san was too stubborn and Kurosaki-sama was simply Kurosaki-sama. She was probably hurting them this way as well. But the damage was lowered, it was contained. Telling them about her life and family was counterproductive, which was the reason she forced Urahara to swear to keep silent about her pregnancy and later about little Ichigo. Her ultimate goal was to surprise and make them proud. Perhaps, it was wrong. Still, it was her final decision. Urahara had insinuated a few times how they worried about her. Yet, she was relentless. If men could be persistent in their choices, so could she.

On another note, she often wondered if Ichigo might have liked the extra company. With her and Isshin being constantly busy, it would have played in her favor. Somehow, she could visualize Shirosaki-san holding Ichigo and playing with the infant… Maybe one of these days she would write them to give them the good news… All three of them… If nothing else, she would consider and think about it.

She shifted her attention from the cake she was decorating, to her little boy. Ichigo was dressed in a light blue short sleeved t-shirt, small black trousers, white snickers and a tiny mist-blue apron adorned with silver Quincy crosses. The apron sure did see better days. It was covered in little smudges of filth and dust. But at least, the child was relatively clean.

Her little sunshine sure knew how to get dirty even when she made sure the house was spotless. How he ended up finding a corner inside or outside the establishment where he could play pretend to clean was beyond her. The funny thing was, Ichigo always did try to impress them. Either by finding something they thought was lost or by attempting to clean after himself, the boy showed he could be reliable and useful.

Most of the time, they did try to play-pretend various scenes and they all relished in the hide and seek games. Ichigo never complained much. Funny isn't it? He did cry often and calmed down even faster. But the child held a dose of happiness no matter what.

The few times Ichigo got lost, had been the most terrifying moments of Masaki's life. It wasn't so bad, when he would go out in the gardens. But anything beyond a certain line, was disastrous. By the time Ichigo was one and a half, Masaki noted how he appeared to see spirits. At first, she put the notion off as ridiculous and impossible. It took her a long while to realize, her precious son could, in fact, clearly see pluses and souls.

It had come as a surprise. Yet, during one of his escapades, Ichigo returned home safe and sound along with the spirit of an elderly lady. As per the ghost, Ichigo came to visit her whenever he was out in the gardens. The child would collect flowers or leaves and place them around the spot she frequented. In the beginning, Ichigo rarely talked and only smiled at the old lady. In time, he would talk and describe as much as he could his family, home and would ask the woman questions in turn. After a while, she felt relatively at peace with the boy's company and started looking forward to those meetings.

The day she accompanied Ichigo home, was the day Ichigo got lost in the park. It had been a nice spring day and Masaki had asked Isshin to take Ichigo out in the sun. Upon receiving a call from Isshin who was rushing around searching and calling Ichigo's name, she panicked. Ichigo's Reiatsu was not very notable and they had spent most of the daylight looking around the park area. Masaki had expanded the area to twice the size of the playground, hoping their baby was nearby.

At one point, she returned home to get a jacket as it was getting cold, only to find Ichigo sitting on the porch swinging his legs up and down, tears in his eyes and holding hands with the elderly lady. To this day, Masaki wondered how she did not had a heart-attack. After that episode, the spirit said a final goodbye to Ichigo, saying they would meet again someday in the far, far future.

Once the lady passed-on, Masaki contacted Isshin and told him Ichigo was safe and sound at home and to relax and return. While he was on his way back, she had requested him to do some grocery shopping as punishment for having left Ichigo out of sight.

She was very tankful for the ghost whom had helped Ichigo reach home. Later, she looked into the lady and found out that the woman had been murdered by her son-in-law. The man had vehemently disliked his mother-in-law and denied her the chance to see her grandson. In her grief, while attempting to pay them an unexpected visit, she was spotted by the male, who in turn, took the car and ran her over.

Such a tragedy for stupid reasons. Rage could push people to unimaginable things. The man was caught and reported by his wife. From her data, he was rotting in jail for life. The murder of her mother had been the last drop and the wife pressed charges for the ordeal and added on top several more attempts of murder, child and domestic abuse. The list had been so long, Masaki had to stop after some time.

Truly, she was thankful and lucky to have a man like Isshin. He may be a goofball and a little childish, but that was all part of his charm. Along with Ichigo, her life was complete… well, almost… Once Shirosaki-san and Kurosaki-sama came to be a part of their family, and with the surprise on the way, life would be simply amazing.

Shaking her head from all the thoughts running rampant in her head. Masaki approached Ichigo, trying to get him still, so she could remove the dirty apron and replace it with something else. The little one was fidgeting on the spot and trying to hide something from her.

"Ichigo, honey, how did you get so dirty? You know we are going to have visitors today. We wouldn't want them to see you all filthy for the party, right? How about, you come with me, I'll get you a new apron and you can help me finish decorate the cake, hmm?"

At the mention of cake, chocolate-brown eyes sparked with interest and eagerness. Making the child forget his previous mission. Hugging his mother around her legs, the boy looked up at her with a beaming smile and finally showed her the flowers he had gathered.

"Floers foo mommy."

The way he had tried to pronounce correctly the words and the enthusiasm in his gesture made Masaki smile back.

"These are really pretty Ichigo, thank you. But it is your birthday, so shouldn't the flowers be for you instead?"

The pout and negative shaking of the head were accompanied by strong words.

"No! Flowes cute an' smell nice, like mommy. Mommy gets flowes 'cause mommy good and wo-ok hard."

Masaki was touched by the gesture. She quickly found a way to appease her little tyke. Grabbing an empty vase, she filled it with fresh water and prompted Ichigo to put them inside. With a little bit of her help, it looked decent. As a last touch, she placed a white ribbon around the see-through glass vase and positioned it at the center of the table.

"It's really beautiful Ichigo. Thank you. Now, let's go change before our guests come."

Feeling accomplished, the child shined in the sunlight and exclaimed a happy: "Okay!" Running to his room, while being followed by Masaki, he sloppily removed the apron and impatiently waited his mother's arrival. As promised, Masaki brought out a different apron, although, instead of an apron, she went with a jean overall. The material was sturdy. A perfect fit for her unruly child. It wouldn't get dirty easily and the material was strong enough to minimize injuries.

The many bruises, cuts and other injuries her son sported, bothered her a lot. More so, for they showed at random. With hos vivacious Ichigo was, it shouldn't be a surprise. Yet, she couldn't shake off the feeling that there were more wounds than it was normal, even for an energetic child.

Once dressed, Ichigo hugged her again and brought her out of her mussing. Holding the boy in her hands, she made her way back to the kitchenette and together the two finished preparing the cake.

The cake was in the shape of a teddy-bear's head with chocolate pudding covering the outside. Inside, it consisted of two layers of sponge vanilla cakes on top of one another, in between, juicy roasted strawberry jam filling. The round muzzle was made from whipped-cream, as well as the whites of the eyes. The actual 'nose' and 'eyes' were brown cookies, while the mouth, which was connected to the nose, was simply a thin drawing made form chocolate swirl. The ears were just an extension of the cake and decorated with sliced raspberries to give them the 'pink' hue.

All in all, it was ready to go into the refrigerator, where it would chill and harden before being cut and thoroughly enjoyed.

Both mother and son, looked at the cake than at one another and nodded as if saying _'Yup this is it! It's great!'_ Content with the completed task, Masaki lowered Ichigo down, took the cake and placed it in the fridge. As if on schedule, the doorbell announced their first visitors.

With all the speed an excited child can muster, Ichigo ran towards the source of the noise, Masaki following behind him at a slower pace. There was no need to rush since Ichigo was not very tall and couldn't reach the entrance's handle, let alone open the heavy door to let anyone in. She was very pleased to see that was not his intention.

Ichigo stood in front of the gate jumping from one foot to the other, but did not try to reach for the handle. Masaki had explained to Ichigo never to open or, in his case, try to open the door no matter who it is, unless either Masaki or Isshin were there. Even with all his energy and childish vigor, Ichigo was very obedient and rarely needed to be told things twice. He may inquire about certain aspects and items often, but never broke any essential rules. Masaki never considered it Ichigo's fault when he would get lost outside when accompanied by herself and Isshin. That was their flaw. If anything, she learned that Ichigo always found a way home, if with tears and filthy clothes, depending on what happened.

The first to arrive were Urahara and Tessai-san with their classical attires. Within the course of many years, Masaki grew a stronger bond with Tessai-san rather than with the shopkeeper. Maybe it was the calm aura or the lack of passion for dangerous experiments which had contributed to this preference. Nevertheless, it was present. Besides, it would have been rude to invite one without the other. A major factor which tipped the scale in favor of inviting both males. With a kind smile, Masaki prompted them both in, aware that her son became shy the instant the two figures were revealed. It's not like she could ignore how he tried to hide behind her legs while glancing the newcomers with curious and cautious eyes.

"Good afternoon gentlemen. Welcome. Lunch is almost ready. We are waiting for Isshin to close the Clinic and a few more relatives. Please make yourselves at home. Ichigo, the big man with the glasses is Tessai-san and the other is Urahara-san. Why don't you present yourself?"

Ichigo looked up at his mother's face. Her gentle expression, reassured the little one just enough to come out of hiding and give a big bow.

"Ku-oo-sa-kii Ichi-go, nice to meet."

The scene was so cute, Tessai-san came down to his knees and hugged the child while crying false tears and shouting something along the lines of "Oh, Kurosaki-dono is already such a fine young man!" and "Only yesterday he was just a newborn!"

Urahara himself was not that far off from cooing at the display. He itched to pull out his fan and cover his face, while giving a funny comeback, but couldn't. Instead, he removed his infamous hat and passed it to Masaki so it could be put away for the duration of the stay. An unusual gesture, Masaki appreciated immensely.

"Ma, ma, Tessai-san. Kids grow-up fast. Though, you may want to let go now. You're going to scare the birthday boy."

Ichigo was really trying hard not to cry and bolt away. The only reason he stayed put and was dealing with the weird man, was his mother's presence. Else, no Kido in the world would have been able to keep him in place.

No sooner had Tessai-san released him, did he hide again. That had not been nice and the big guy didn't let him breathe properly. In his mind, he chanted: _'Grown-ups are odd and scary.'_ That in turn caused a disgruntled rumble to echo within his soul. _'Not you, Zan-kun. Zan-kun is the best!'_ A pleased purr was his answer and all noises from inside his own self, ceased, letting him refocus on the situation at hand. Apparently, he did not miss much, as Masaki took the hat and ushered everyone inside and was now asking Ichigo to take their guests to the living room, while she checked on Isshin.

Wanting to make his mom happy, Ichigo carefully approached the shorter man. So far, the blonde guy didn't do anything to him and he considered him relatively safe. Grabbing one of the hands presented to him, he guided the two to the living room and to the couch. Not knowing what to do next, he sat on the far side of the room, eliciting a chuckle from the duo.

"Oh, Tessai-san. I think you scared him with your surprise hug."

Ichigo didn't say much and merely observed the two, trying to figure them out. Seeing he wouldn't be able to get anything out of them from so far, he came a little closer. There was something bugging him about their presences, but the little child couldn't put his finger on what it was.

Urahara saw the boy's interest and decided it was better to let the child come at his own pace. Ichigo was still pondering on what to do. He wanted to know more, but he was shy. He grabbed his hair and lightly pulled at the short strands in front of his face, when an idea crossed his mind. Rushing to the upper level, he grabbed three plush toys he normally played with. Maybe the two newcomers didn't know what to do and were bored just like he himself. He never noticed the petulant pouts he involuntarily caused by his unexpected and unannounced departure.

He came down the stairs at a slow pace. He did fall once and it hurt. Thus, he was more careful as to not cause any distress for his parents. Once at the bottom, he went into the living room and placed the toys on the coffee table. These were: a blue rhino with pink cheeks and black beady eyes, a green and yellow frog with a big open mouth and pink tongue, and lastly, a white dragon with a red belly, black wings and a long black mane.

Checking his choice, Ichigo gave another glance at the visitors and took the rhino. It took a few attempts to get that first step towards the guests, but once he started he pushed the toy into Tessai-san's hands.

" **Aoi***. This… Aoi. You can play. Aoi likes hugs."

Not waiting for a reaction, which would have been absolutely ridiculous to the adults in the Clinic, Ichigo tuned back to the table to get the second toy. This time it was the green frog. With sure steps, he handed the plushy to Urahara.

"This is **Riku*** … Hmm… Riku likes all, pe-e-pole, toys, games… all."

Not wanting to be rude, even to a three-year-old, Urahara gladly took the toy with a "Thank you. You are very kind to share."

Now that everyone had something to do, Ichigo returned to the small table and took the final plushy. Once secure in his hands, Ichigo sat on the floor in front of the couch petting the dragon with a faraway expression.

Intrigued by the child's behavior and going with the current flow, Urahara asked Ichigo a question.

"Kurosaki-san, what is your dragon's name?"

Startled by the inquiry, Ichigo raised his head and stared the other before answering.

"Umm… This is Zan-Zan."

"Oh. That's nice. They all have nice names. How did you come up with them?"

In no time at all, the boy replied in high spirits.

"Thanks, mommy and I named them. Not nice when no name, so mommy and I wo-ok ha-ad. Aoi, easy, Aoi is blue. Riku not easy. Mommy helped. Said froggy name is Riku 'cause he's smart."

Urahara was beaming on the inside. He got the 'intelligent' one. The last name, though, did not make sense. If the plushies were named after a characteristic or something alike, then it would be logical if the dragon had been named 'Shiro'.

"What about Zan-Zan?"

This time, the child did not seem very sure of himself, as if he wasn't certain it would be wise to respond. Trying to persuade the boy, Urahara lowered himself to the child's level and masking his voice while using 'Riku' he said: "Please tell us Ichigo. I promise we won't tell anyone. It will be our secret."

Even so, Ichigo wasn't fully convinced. Urahara almost gave up, when the boy came closer to the toy and whispered.

"Zan-Zan looks like Zan-kun. But Zan-kun not like when I talk about him. He's shy."

Years of expertise in concealing his true emotions paid off for Urahara. Gazing at the dragon toy and bearing in mind the boy's tale, he wondered if perhaps a check-up was in order. The tricky part was to get Ichigo to cooperate without calling his parents, who would probably skin him alive. He had never told anyone of the Hollow he encountered as he did not want to scare the young parents. However, he had told Tessai. His partner must have connected the dots, if his deep concerned voice any indication.

"Tenchou… Do you think it's already back?"

Shaking his head, Urahara barely contained his frustration. Forgetting that he was holding a frog instead of his fan, he waved the toy around.

"It shouldn't be. Not in such a short time. But there is no telling. Care to keep an eye out for his caretakers? We don't want to frighten them, especially since it could be the child's wild imagination."

Urahara deliberately used the word 'caretakers' as not to scare the boy. Although, Ichigo was giggling from seeing the frog plushie move in such a different way compared to how his dad usually played with it. Using the child's naivety, Urahara came down to the boy once again.

"Ne, ne, Kurosaki-kun. Would you like to see magic? But you must not tell anyone, not even your mommy or daddy, agreed?"

Nodding his head, Ichigo agreed. Which child could ever resist the urge to see real magic? Giving a swift nod towards Tessai, the other concentrated and raised a few barrier layers around the duo. Delighted at the bright walls, Ichigo became excited and missed the hand which obscured his sight.

Putting a light sleeping Kido, Urahara started to work immediately. The seals he had placed were, fortunately, still there and doing their job. On the other side, they had been thinned and were on the verge of breaking. It was surreal. If he wasn't witnessing the deed with his own eyes, he wouldn't believe it.

Ever since he placed foot inside the household, there had been no instances where the child's Reiatsu rose. Nor were there any readable signatures. It was as if the boy was using all his energy in pressuring the seals so they would fall apart. Looking at the sleeping child, he refused to accept that one so young could perform such a feat. And still, it was an ongoing process, even in his sleep.

With a loud exhale. Urahara pondered for the millionth time if he made a mistake and if he was about to commit another one. Just as he was about to reconsider, Tessai made a sound in his throat signifying the soon arrival of the parents. With determination, Urahara convinced himself that it was better for the boy not to have to deal with the Hollow as such a tender age. Using everything he had and the little time he could spare, Urahara re-applied the seals with all his might. Within minutes he was done. Right on time, as he could hear Isshin wailing about something.

Thankfully, Tessai-san quickly removed the barriers and replaced them with sparks. Urahara on the other hand, remained on the floor and held Ichigo in his hands. The frog was left on the floor, while Ichigo still held the dragon strongly on his chest.

Just watching the kid sleep peacefully with the plushie, melted Urahara's heats and worries away. Never, not in his wildest dreams could he have imagined himself holding a child and feeling as if everything was right with the world. He was lost in his bliss, up to the point he disregarded everything around. That is until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Isshin had arrived and was grinning like the cat that got the cream and canary. Shoot! Now he had to figure out how to assure Isshin did not divulge the information to Yoruichi or anyone else for that matter.

"Ah! Isshin-san. Care to take your little dare-devil? I'm afraid Tessai-san and I have exhausted him into sleep."

"Sure. But I must confess, I never thought I'd see you play plushies with a child. What's more, Ichigo rarely tires himself this fast in the afternoon. It takes us ages to put him asleep."

Having said that, Isshin's face turned from impish to downright fearful.

"You sure you didn't do anything… ahem… suspicious? Please tell me you didn't or Masaki is going to have both our heads."

Scoffing and feigning being offended, Urahara instantly replied.

"Why, Isshin-san, you wound my feelings. Anyway, who could possibly do anything bad to such an adorable angel? Can you believe he went all the way to his room just to bring us toys? The poor thing must have thought we were bored. Speaking of plushies, apparently I got the smart one."

Using his free left-hand, Urahara grabbed the frog which was laying besides him and pushed it in Isshin's face. Seeing the toy, Isshin started laughing to hard, he had tears in his eyes. It was so loud, it woke Ichigo out from his nap.

After taking Isshin out from the Clinic and finally putting the 'Closed' sign, Masaki had return to the living room with a petulant Isshin in tow. At first, she was surprised to see Ichigo sound asleep. But all considered, he did help her out around the house with the chores and even brought flowers. So, him falling asleep wasn't that much of a surprise and she could dedicate herself more to the last touches for lunch.

She was about finished, when she heard Isshin's laughter. Wanting to know what it was about, she made her way towards the living room. Seeing her husband on the floor while holding the frog plushie made a lot of sense. However, everything became irrelevant when she noticed Ichigo stretching out from Urahara's hands and rubbing at his eyes. As a mother, her instinct was to take the child and make sure everything was fine.

"Good morning love. Did you sleep well?"

Still rubbing his eyes, Ichigo nodded and made slight agreeing sounds. Satisfied with the answer, Masaki proceeded to question her son.

"That's great. What did you play at with Tessai-san and Urahara-san?"

Ichigo took about two seconds to remember what he was doing before his nap. Not that he could recall taking a nap in the first place. But it must have happened, for his eyes felt really heavy.

"Umm… We play with Riku, Aoi and Zan-Zan…"

"Ah, I see, love. Have they been nice?"

Masaki was trying to ask Ichigo if the two men had behaved. But she had expected a little too much from her sweet boy.

"Yes! Aoi likes daddy and hugs… so, Aoi plays with big Tee-san. Riku is green… I think he likes Uha-san 'cause they have same color."

It was definitely not the answer she had expected, but then again, she did ask her baby. She didn't miss the downhearted pout Urahara got when Ichigo said why he gave him the frog. Isshin, who had barely contained his mirth, fell again on the floor from cramps on his stomach. The whole situation was simply hilarious. Not wanting for her plan to be unraveled, she went on as if she really meant to talk about the toys. It wouldn't be the first time she did talk about the plushies and their day anyway.

"That's great honey. What about Zan-Zan? Did he look out for you?"

Something Masaki noticed, was Ichigo's few moments of silence whenever the dragon was brought up. Yet, among all the toys and games littering the house, Ichigo was the most attached to the white flying reptile he rarely spoke about. Whenever he did, it was like he was trying to hide things from them.

"Hmm. Yes… but he sleepy now."

There was a certain amount of sadness underlining those words. Almost like, something happened to the toy while he slept. Giving the plushy a quick glance, Masaki couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, hence, she dismissed the notion as a child's peculiarity.

She was about to say something else, when the doorbell rang again. This time Ichigo did not go to the entrance. Not that he could, since he was held by Masaki. By his slight tremors, he was probably terrified someone would hug him out of the blue. Ichigo did like to cuddle with Masaki, but refused Isshin's or other peoples embraces with a passion. Apparently, people seemed to squeeze too hard.

With a light chuckle, Masaki held her boy gently yet strongly and made her way to the entrance to greet the final guests. It was going to be a small reunion, for she did not want to overwhelm Ichigo. As soon as she opened the door, she was met by three figures.

She recognized the two adults. Katagiri and Ryuken did not change much appearance wise. Ryuken was maybe a little more stoic than when she last saw him and was wearing a light blonde short-sleeved shirt, syrupy brown slacks and dark brown leather oxford shoes. His white hair was slightly longer and fit perfectly with his frameless glasses. Though, he probably should have left the white tie with golden crosses home. Ichigo had a bad habit of pulling ties with all his strength. One of the many reasons Isshin refused to wear a tie unless it was for a special occasion and Ichigo was nowhere nearby.

Katagiri on the other hand looked much more at peace and happy. She was dressed much like Masaki. Where Masaki was wearing a light pink short sleeved t-shirt with a V-cut and three white fake buttons, Katagiri had a tight fit light mint-green shirt which underlined her frame perfectly. Instead of Masaki's knee-length violet skirt and black sandals, Katagiri went with a long white porcelain cotton skirt and powder white ballerina flats. Contrasting to Masaki's long wavy hair which was tied in a low ponytail, Katagiri's flat black hair was tied in a high bun. Honestly, how much more different could these two be? The only similarity was the smile both ladies had on their expressions as well as the fact they were holding baby-boys roughly the same age.

The child in Katagiri's hands was wearing a cloud gray and silver stripped short sleeved t-shirt, denim shorts with black and blue braces and navy-blue snickers. Compared to Ichigo and his tan hue, the other boy is fair-skinned and has deep blue eyes and straight black hair.

It was the first time in years the Ishida and Kurosaki families met and Masaki couldn't be prouder or happier than when she found out Katagiri married her cousin. In her opinion, they belonged to one another. Ryuken may give the impression of a cold-hearted man with no affection, but that was all a façade. Whenever he was with Katagiri, Masaki saw a certain level of calm and a different air about him. To most, it would have gone unnoticed, but Masaki realized that on the very first day she met the duo. Katagiri, on the other hand, had been dull and closed-off to everyone except for Ryuken and Masaki. Yes, it all turned up for the best, especially if their little boy was any indication.

"Ryuken-san, Katagiri-san, it's lovely to see you. Thank you for accepting the invitation. I was worried you would have declined."

The way Ryuken raised his glasses, made her believe that her suspicion might have hit closer to home than what Ryuken would want to admit. It was Katagiri who saved the day.

"Oh, Masaki-san, not at all. It was a pleasure and we are delighted to be here. I guess the little one in your hands is the party boy?"

Ichigo, who had been absorbed in the new people coming around, suddenly became shy and tried to hide his face on Masaki's shoulder. His behavior brought out snickers from both mothers.

"Yes. This is Ichigo. He's a little nervous when he meets someone new. Give him some time and he'll open up. And who might this adorable cutie you're holding be? Is it little Uryū-kun you told me so much about?"

Unbeknownst to their husbands, Masaki and Katagiri had kept in contact most of the time since Masaki left the Ishida's and became close friends. They kept their meetings a secret reserved solely for themselves without letting their respective husbands know. It had been a blast and they managed to fool both Ryuken and Isshin for years. They were found out at a late stage of Masaki's pregnancy by both males' efforts. That was also the day, Katagiri informed Ryuken of her own pregnancy.

The two girls had met in the park, as per usual, and immersed themselves in their chatter neglecting to sense the vicinity of their husbands. Ryuken had been suspicious of Isshin, who was in turn jealous of the other. Thinking that their wives were seeing the other man, made them go at one another. After several well-placed words, both concluded that they were behaving like children and laughed at their stupidity. Figuring that neither Masaki nor Katagiri where with either one of them, Isshin suggested Ryuken should pin-point their location and they could both catch them off-guard.

The plan worked wonderfully and they did find the girls sitting and talking as if it was the most normal thing in the world. At the time, Masaki's belly was very notable and Ryuken had given a rough "Congrats" before coming out from the bushes and approaching the two ladies, with Isshin following right behind and commenting it was supposed to be his line. Both Masaki and Katagiri jumped in fright at the sight of the two an were even more surprised by Isshin's words. Poor Katagiri. She had been so embarrassed she looked like a tomato. Ryuken too was shocked and glanced from his wife to the ex-Shinigami. Katagiri had caved in and said she had made a test that morning and confirmed the pregnancy.

The whole thing had been so adorable, especially Ryuken falling on his knees in front of Katagiri, grabbing her by the waist, lifting her and spinning her in circles from the sheer happiness.

It had been a while since that day and with both pregnancies moving fast, the connection had been lost. Katagiri and Masaki did keep in touch via phones, but it wasn't the same. This motivated Masaki to wait until both boys were grown-up enough to at least play and talk before making the big change and making the invitation. Isshin had no issues with it and welcomed the possibility to poke fun at Ryuken.

Little Uryū had been a little lost in thoughts. It was his first time seeing other children his age this close. The funny hair color on the other boy's head was also a major distraction. He only blinked a few times when he heard his name being mentioned by the other lady. His first thought was that the big female was very pretty, not like his mom, but still very nice. He looked at his mother for permission, before he turned to face Masaki and nod his head in confirmation.

More giggles erupted from both mothers and they simultaneously lowered their children to the ground so they could properly meet.

"Ichigo, this is your cousin Uryū-kun. Can I ask you to be nice and show him around? It's his first time in our house. Remember, no going out today, alright?"

Ichigo glanced up at his mom and then at the unfamiliar boy. The other one seemed a little smaller and both curious and worried. Not wanting for his cousin, whatever that was, to feel bad while in their place, Ichigo eagerly nodded and slowly approached the other. He made a similar bow to when he met 'Uha-san' and 'Tee-san', introducing himself.

Uryū was a little taken back, but welcomed the gesture since it was something familiar his parents insisted on teaching him. He tried to respond in kind, even it didn't look the same. His pronunciation was a little off too, but they were both kids and could easily understand one another without much prompting or words. Once they felt the presentations were done, Ichigo came more confidently and extended his right hand in an unspoken invitation.

Before long both boys were happily running around the house in a make-shift tour where Ichigo showed whatever first came to mind. The adults were utterly forgotten and left alone until lunch time. The meal had been delicious and the cake had both boys humming in pleasure. Once finished, Ichigo did ask if they could be in the garden so Uryū could see all the flowers, promising not to wander outside the perimeters.

The garden itself was nothing fancy, yet Ichigo tried to be out as often as he could. It was fresh, clean and the grass and flowers smelled nice. A far cry better than the zone close to the Clinic. There wasn't much to do, but the boys did find the area to be huge and perfect for exploring.

Although, Ichigo himself had discovered every millimeter of the garden, he excitedly tagged along with Uryū and his method of playing. They were having tons of fun with finding one of the toys Ichigo hid not too long ago, with Ichigo being the 'guide' and Uryū having to follow his instructions of getting 'cold' or 'hot'.

Not even ten minutes into the game, Uryū discovered the location of the toy. It was a black pull-back race car with lights flashing when the car was in motion. Uryū liked the toy a lot so much so, that after a while of seeing his new friend play with it with a huge smile, Ichigo decided to let Uryū keep it. Just as he was about to tell Uryū that the car was a gift for him and to take good care of it, a threatening roar reverberated through the neighborhood.

At the sound, Ichigo stopped with his mouth wide open. Looking around, he felt confused for two reasons. First, he couldn't see what had caused the noise nor where it had come from. Second, Uryū had been unfazed, like the sound never happened. Dismissing it as nothing important, he was about to mention the car again when something far worst than the rumble caught his attention.

Out in the streets the spirit of a middle-aged man dressed as a constructor was running away from a monster the size of a two-story house. Now, don't think badly off the unfortunate soul. If you were to see the ugly beast of a Hollow, you too would run for the hills and beyond.

The monster had pebble-like colored skin with several golden, red and artic-blue patterns. It stood on two long and thick hind-legs and had six more 'arms' from its midsection and above. The midsection itself was made of two connected parts, the main central body with four limbs and the upper part which had only two.

Nonetheless, the higher part was by no means less scary or defenseless by the lack of appendages. Heck! The head itself was frightening enough without the addition of more limbs. The cranium was relatively flat and square looking, but was made of a solid white mask with dangerous looking extended fangs and antennas around the mouth which looked more dangerous than all its appendages combined. Two huge pitch-black openings set atop the head and were distinctively separated and closer to the edge of the 'face'. From the blackness, cedar colored orbs without pupils sparked with mischief and killer intent.

All in all, should it decide to lower itself on all its appendages, the creature may resemble a female **Joro spider*** … a much bigger and nastier version, might I add.

As it is, the monstrosity chased its prey on two legs and was preparing to shoot a sticky substance from the four limbs around the middle. The sole reason it paused just moments before taking aim, was because it tasted something even more delicious in the air with its fangs. It didn't take long for it to see the two children in the garden.

"A fresh meal at my disposal and they look so soft and succulent. Hehe… Oh… What's this? You can see me boy? Even better, that means your soul is definitely strong but unrefined. You'll make a perfect dinner and will help me reach new heights."

Ichigo continued to stare in horror at the creature. He didn't understand much what the monster said, but he did catch the significance behind the word dinner. The big ugly _thing_ wanted to eat them! He was scared. Never had he seen something this terrifying. He only managed to remove his sight from the beast, because Uryū grabbed his hand, demanding Ichigo played with him.

The dark-haired boy's behavior served to further confuse Ichigo. Couldn't Uryū see the big creature not far from them? Shaking on the spot, Ichigo tried to point with his finger at the monster, only for Uryū to get upset because Ichigo wouldn't play.

 _'Hmm. It seems only one has Reiatsu. No matter, the other will make for a good desert. I do love living souls, especially the young ones. They tend to be juicy. Now, I just have to grab them, but there is a Shinigami barrier blocking my path. Ha! I couldn't have stumbled on a better treat than this! It's a good thing that creepy Shinigami tweaked my energy. Thanks to whatever he did, I am undetectable by others. Should thank him by returning later and devouring him too.'_

Using the substance, it had accumulated, the spider-like creature aimed for the entire house. The sticky substance was able to penetrate any energy-based barriers and traps by dissolving them into nothingness, while it simultaneously absorbed the energy and fused with it, turning into a glue-type liquid which instantaneously solidified.

With the barrier around the house gone and the superglue attached to it, leaving no escape routes open, the children were easy picking. That is, unless they wanted to run head first into its waiting limbs.

Ichigo saw what happened, though he didn't understand some of it, he did get it that the monster was bad. Taking Uryū by the same hand which had been pulling on his arm, Ichigo tried to rush them both to the house. It didn't take long for the boy to realize, he couldn't enter. Thus, he did what any other kid would have done and called for help.

The grown-ups finally heard the commotion and they too ran to the back door, only to be unable to go through. Tessai did a quick mental check and confirmed that they were stuck inside, while the children where out. Frustrated primarily at themselves for not having sensed any danger until it was too late, Ryuken, Katagiri and Masaki all went into Quincy mode and shot a myriad of arrows at the back door and windows, praying they would make it in time. Urahara and Tessai, were assisting on the side with Kido, but were careful not to destroy the house or involuntarily harm the frantic parents. Isshin too was giving his best short at breaking out via human methods, with a metal chair and banging relentlessly on the nearest window. If they didn't find a way out, and soon, there was no telling what was going to happen.

Uryū sensed that something was wrong. He didn't know what was going on and he was terrified out of his mind. Seeing his cousin and friend bang and cry at the door, made him sniff and wail in turn.

Watching his friend's tears made Ichigo even more desperate and frightened. He wanted his mommy… He didn't like the big creature, it wasn't nice like Zan-kun… That's when an idea hit him… Zan-kun could help! Ichigo had never seen Zan-kun standing straight, but he was sure the gentle giant was huge. He was bigger than daddy when Isshin when on all fours, so he could probably chase the evil thing away.

Concentrating hard on his connection with Zan-kun, he was astonished and horrified when he couldn't reach him. Normally, it was easy like breathing and he didn't actually know how they spoke to one another… they just did…

Since the monster was coming and there was no one to help, Ichigo placed Uryū behind himself and closer to the door. Something within was telling him to shield the smaller boy from the evil being. He was beyond scared, sad, angry and all sorts of other emotions were welling up from within. He did not want to be someone's meal and he refused to let anything bad happen to his first friend.

Still trembling and shaking in fear, Ichigo made sure to keep Uryū at his back. Watching the monster, he raised his head to monitor its movements and was trying to think of anything to keep it away. He raised his hands, as if saying: _"Stop! You can't get him!"_

His futile attempts made the Hollow laugh out loud at the pathetic display. Getting impatient, the Hollow descended on its targets with two of its appendages, ready to impale both boys and devour their delicious souls, when a startling light erupted and blindsided it. What came out of the brightness, made the Hollow take a surprised gulp of air and take an unsteady step back…

"What the fuck are you?!"

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is still not my mother language. If I made a mistake along the way, please let me know. Sorry for repeating the same parts all over again xD_

 ***Junrinan*** – as mentioned above, this is the 1st District of the West Rukongai. Funny that Junrinan is translated as 'Lush Forest Peace'. This is the place where Hitsugaya Toshiro, Hinamori Momo, Ikkanzaka Jidanbo came from. The spirit of the boy Yūichi Shibata, who was trapped inside a parakeet, also resides in this district and has made his new family.

 ***Aoi*** – is commonly a Japanese baby-girl name, but it also means 'bluish'.

 ***Riku*** – is a male Japanese name meaning 'Wise Sky'. Don't forget Masaki helped Ichigo with the naming and since the frog is mostly 'dressed' in green like a certain scientist, hence the reason why Ichigo associated green with smart. He gave the frog to Urahara because of the green color, not because he thinks Urahara is intelligent. As for the rhino, since Tessai hugged Ichigo to near suffocation, he gave the toy which 'liked' hugs the most. Blame Isshin for this one x3 x3 x3

 ***Joro spider*** or Nephila clavate – a member of the golden orb-web spiders. It can be found throughout Japan except a few places. As you may guess from its _lovely_ coloration, this spider is dangerous and venomous. Personally, you wouldn't see me anywhere near this thingy, unless I was fully equipped with a potent water-type vacuum cleaner or a sturdy shoe I have no intention to keep after getting rid of the unwanted guest. Sorry for any spider-lovers out there… Not a fan, but not a lover nor phobic either, just don't like them in my house or immediate surroundings. Most of the time, when I deal with bugs, spiders and other tiny creatures, I catch them in a transparent glass, cover the bottom with paper and then send them off back in nature, where they belong. There are, of course, those days and times when I have no patience to deal with them and in that case…well…the methods I mentioned before work wonders.

 _Until next time, enjoy! :D_


	36. Chapter 36

_A very good day/evening everyone!_

 _I proudly present Chapter XXXVI._

 _Disclaimer, reminder and warnings all as per usual:_

 _ **Friendly reminder**_ _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC._ _ **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea**_ _:) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 _ **Disclaimer**_ _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 _ **WARNINGS**_ _:_ _Spoiler alert_ _for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime!_ _Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

I know, I know. I was really mean last chapter with the cliffhanger. Can't say I'm terribly sorry. By the way, I loved your comments and thoughts on who appeared to save the day ;)

To break the tension I caused, I worked double hard and fast to get this one out. Enjoy!

* * *

 _Chapter XXXVI_

* * *

It was a pleasant day for one content Zanpakuto. A bright and warm sun caressed its huge white frame, green grass covered miles upon miles of terrain near a little house with modern equipment. Zangetsu caught himself humming and purring every now and then. It was one of those rare days he was lazing around and relaxing within his Inner World.

With Ichigo's birthday, there was no need for him to be active nor visible to little Ichi. Both parents were busy either working or watching the birthday-boy. Besides, yesterday he had spent the entire day outside in the Material World, taking care of Ichigo and listening to his chit-chat.

It was adorable. The little one somehow knew that Zangetsu could understand what he was saying and could easily tell if the other was actively listening or pretending. Another thing which came as a surprise, was when Ichigo started calling him Zan-kun. Since he never mentioned his name, it was a great satisfaction to know his wielder was already unlocking their potential. Not like he could even speak or tell Ichigo anything in his first Adjucha form. He'd have to wait until he reached Vasto Lorde level before he had any chance at replying with words.

Nonetheless, it felt amazing to have Ichigo talking and calling him out to play without restricting him to their shared mind-scrape. Sometimes they would have fun in Ichigo's room, but most of the time, they played in the gardens. When Ichigo saw how much Zangetsu liked the grass, the child spent a lot of time trying to get the same material in their Shared World. The kid had come one night, when Zangetsu was fast asleep, and created the unbelievable grass. Naturally, after he made it, the exhausted child fell fast asleep no top of Zangetsu's back. When he woke up, Zangetsu's astonishment had been so palpable and tangible that it startled Ichigo up. The pure joy that radiated from the Zanpakuto had been all the little one needed to know he had done a good job.

It had been a great day for the both of them. Zangetsu spent the whole time running and chasing Ichigo, first within their Inner World and then, when Ichigo got roused, in the garden. From day to day, Ichigo would leave the garden's safe-zone and explore outside the barrier and house perimeters. Whenever that happened, Zangetsu made sure he was always at hand and could help Ichigo find the way home.

When taken to the park, Ichigo stayed close to his parents. It was very rare for Ichi to wander and get lost. Not surprisingly, it always happened when Ichigo and his dad were alone. The foolish male tended to be over-exuberant and easily left Ichi out of sight which, in turn, lead to Ichigo wandering a little too far from reach.

Oh well… it's not like Ichigo could help it. It came natural to the boy, especially with so many spirits and souls in Karakura Town. The sorrow of the forgotten souls acted like a sirens' call and Ichi couldn't help but search for those individuals to alleviate them of their burden. In time, the child would learn how to send them off to Soul Society, however, for now, it was a bit too early. Zangetsu strongly believed Ichigo should enjoy his infancy. Slaughtering Hollows and saving pluses could wait and would be on stand-by until Ichi was mature and strong enough to wield him properly.

Zangetsu made a habit to try and stay passively-aware of things going on outside whenever he was stuck in their Inner World. It was relatively easy, although, he did fall asleep very often during such attempts.

He was on the verge of falling asleep when one of Ichigo's thoughts made him grunt in displeasure. _'Grown-ups are odd and scary.'_ Zangetsu made sure to let his resentment known with an unhappy growl Ichigo was very familiar with. The response of: _'Not you, Zan-kun. Zan-kun is the best!'_ placated him back into a content Zen-like-state. To reassure the little one everything was fine, he let an audible purr before completely letting himself go.

Such fleeting ideas were exceedingly common whenever Ichigo's father was around. Thus, Zangetsu didn't check whom warranted such a comment. Had he noticed, he would have asked Ichigo to stay as far away from the foreign entities as he could. Alas, what to do? He had succumbed to his slumber before considering that there might be a threat. One that had restrained him once before...

* * *

Back in Seireitei, we find one Kuchiki Byakuya deeply immersed in paperwork and his personal thoughts. The stoic Taichou may look the same as ever, but there was a ragging storm of conflicting emotions running rampart inside his soul. Watching him from the outside, he exuded calm and serenity as was expected of the 28th Head of the Kuchiki Noble House.

He is 5'11', has intelligent slate gray eyes and long black hair he keeps up in five intricate white headpieces called kenseikan. These kenseikan symbolize his noble status as the head of the Kuchiki Clan. Three of these headpieces are on top of his head and another two on the right side. In addition to the standard captain uniform, he wears a white scarf made from silver-white, windflower light silk. Reiou forbid he ever the his mansion without it. It is a family heirloom, handed down from generation to generation and given to each head of the Kuchiki Household. The scarf alone is worth ten mansions in Seireitei. On his hands, he wears finger-less white tekkō which only cover the back of his hands.

Yes, he appears as normal as ever. Yet, if you are careful enough and pay attention to the slight an irregular twitch on his right hand, you'll notice the small difference from the everyday monotony. The tics themselves are an irregularity and are caused by deep thoughts which are making the Taichou unfocused to the task at hand. Fortunately, he was well used to filling most forms. Thus, his hand glides through the paperwork on autopilot. It is a secret custom and trick he uses. Whenever he is in an unsettled mood, much like today, he selects a specific set of papers, thus avoiding any possible errors along the way.

One might be wondering just what was causing his inner turmoil. Especially considering it was a calm, sunny day, with a perfect slight summer breeze. No accidents, no broken buildings caused by fights from the members of the Eleventh Division, no explosions from the Twelfth, no screaming of lunatic fan-girls coming from the direction of the Fifth. Who knows, perhaps, the unnatural tranquility is precisely what bothers the apathetic Taichou.

No, he is well aware that's not it but a completely different matter. He had known for years now that a certain cretin from a lower branch of the Kuchiki Clan, plotted against his inherited title as Head of the Noble House. The unsettling thing is the fact that, up to now, nothing major occurred. Byakuya had long ago learnt to deal with assassination attempts both toward his own person and against family members. The lack of successful attacks, was frying his nerves with anxiety.

One of the many reasons he had insisted Rukia was adopted as soon as possible, besides his promise to Hisana, was for the girls' own safety. Her looks resembled Hisana to such an extent that anyone would have guessed the two had been related. Having introduced Rukia to the ways of the Kuchiki Clan, he made sure to have her assigned to a Division of the Gotei 13 right away. Which better Squad to ask for such a favor than the Thirteenth? He was very familiar with Ukitake-Taichou, the later having been a great mentor and family friend. The whole ordeal had gone much smoother than he had anticipated.

Once safe as a member of the Thirteenth Division and not on the position of a seated officer, Rukia's security had been guaranteed. Really, the plan had been intricate yet easy to follow and none was the wiser to the hidden deeper meaning, especially if you take into account, he made sure to keep a strong distance from the girl. Many in the manor were wondering if he had adopted the little lady only due to her resemblance to Hisana or whether he had gone insane. An irrelevant rumor, which could only contribute in assuring Rukia's life went unperturbed by the Clan's dirty business.

With Rukia taken care of, he had been sure the attempts at his head would have started to occur frequently. Still, for whichever reason, they were rare, far in between and so easy to spot it was laughable… or so he had thought.

Last night had been a surprising evening for Byakuya. He had been fully aware that there was at least one assassin after his head. What he had not expected, were counter soldiers who were, for whichever reason, protecting him from the shadows.

The mere notion of anyone arranging for guards without his knowledge, was preposterous. After all, he was the Clan's Head and knew everything that went on within his Household, even among minor branches. All guards were handpicked, thoroughly inspected and even then, only few were ever considered up for the job.

To see, not one, but two unknown individuals disabling a trap, which could have potentially done a bit of damage, had been a blow to his pride. Who were these mysterious figures and what were they after? It was unlikely they were hired by a third party. None of the other Noble Houses would bat an eyelid at seeing him die... Whether he lived or died, was not relevant to other noble families, as they would meet the new House Head and learn to deal with whomever took his position. The same could be said about any other clan, family or subordinate.

This was his main point of concern. Who engaged the two figures? Were they pretending to save him only to request to join his security team with the intentions of killing Rukia, him or both of them in their sleep? Could they be trusted or not? Are they friends or foes?

All these and more questions were making him uneasy and worried. Should he double the sentient security around Rukia? She wasn't aware and she needn't be alert to such a disturbing matter. Even so, should he take certain actions or let them slide until he had more concrete evidence?

His musing was interrupted by a knock on his office door. Assuring he appeared adequately indifferent, he let the person in.

"Come in."

The sliding door was open, revealing a member of his Squad. The individual was none other than Kurohoshi Akira, a newbie who came with a partner, Hino Tomoya. At first, he had been reluctant to take the duo under his Division. From previous experience, Byakuya learned the hard way, that those who were raised in Rukongai districts below the 50th, were normally fit only for Squad Eleven as they were ruthless and bloodthirsty mongrels. Upon checking the records of these two and their Academic scores, he found no reason to refuse their application request.

He had come straight forward and demanded they behaved properly and, so far, he had nearly no issues with either one of them. On the contrary, Hino Tomoya behaved much like Byakuya himself and was more passive-aggressive than his elder counterpart Kurohoshi Akira. Kurohoshi was a little outspoken, but never went against division's or other rules. From what Byakuya could tell, they worked harder than most Shinigami in his squad, probably harder than the majority of Rukongai Shinigami from other divisions as well. It was as if the two were trying to prove themselves to the eyes of the entire Gotei 13.

Byakuya was a man who supported and encouraged such characteristics. That is why he had entrusted the duo with paperwork which should have normally be assigned to a Fuku-Taichou. Since he was reluctant to chose a Fuku-Taichou, Byakuya did most of the accursed assignment himself. When there was too much, he would allocate a certain load to random squad members. Most of the time, that resulted in even more paperwork for him, as the officers were incapable of fulfilling such a trivial matter.

On one encounter with Hino-san, he saw intelligence and intellect hidden under a cold and distant demeanor. That's how he ended up giving Hino-san the first bunch of papers. By the end of the day, the task was immaculately completed and delivered to his desk. The surprise was the fact that everything was neat, precise, accurate and to the point. Not even some officers from noble inheritance had been that detailed and exact when filling forms.

From that day on, he had found it appropriate to distribute a certain amount of workload from his shoulders to the enigmatic and talented youth. He was yet to be disappointed and it has yet to occur for the job to be returned incomplete or late. In fact, the pile that Kurohoshi-san was carrying was being brought a day before the set deadline. Believing that perhaps his assistance was needed in clarifying something Hino-san had been unable to complete, he casually started a conversation.

"Good afternoon, Kurohoshi-san. To what do I owe you such an early arrival?"

If Kurohoshi-san felt annoyed, he didn't show it. Instead, the male shrugged his shoulders, then took a respectful bow and offhandedly replied.

"Good afternoon, Kuchiki-Taichou. Nothing much. Just bringing you the forms you had Hino fill-up. There was a whole bunch of them, so I helped him out and finished. We thought it would be best to bring them over to you before anything happened or they got accidentally dispersed in the breeze."

It had become known that Kuchiki Byakuya had allotted certain tasks to Hino-san and subsequently to Kurohoshi-san. In turn, that had evoked several disturbances and jealousy among other seated and non-seated officers. It had escalated once, to the point, Byakuya had found himself forced to stop the bullying against the duo. Though, to this day, he wasn't sure how the two males managed to fend off against twenty seated members without getting a single scratch.

Still, he had given the assignment to Hino-san because he knew the young man was capable to do the task. To hear that the two had worked together, a rare trait among non-seated members, raised Byakuya's suspicion. The paperwork he had given, was sensitive and required a certain amount of finesse, which he found in Hino-san's composure and later, in the other's work-ethnics. Kurohoshi-san, on the other hand, did not project such delicacy and he internally worried that he would end up with extra work tonight. Even so, he couldn't and wouldn't exhibit his dismay to someone who had apparently tried to assist.

"Very well, though I am surprised Hino-san asked your assistance in the first place. He doesn't seem like the kind of person who randomly asks for a favor."

Kurohoshi had the nerve to chuckle at his statement and even fully agree.

"Heh. You'd be right about that Taichou. It just so happens I am not a random guy. We both go a long way back and I can tell when he needs help. Whether he wants it, likes it or not, I pester him until he gives in. Oh, just to reassure you, he supervised me during the whole process. You'll see the handwriting is not as lovely as his, but it's not horrid either. Also, I did my best not to sound harsh or like my usual self. Heh. You know, he sorts off, ended up giving me a hand more than what I was trying to do for him… at least that's how I felt like. Anyway, this is done. Where do you want me to put it?"

Byakuya, slowly, removed his completed work from the desk, making sure to leave the unfinished pile on the side and gestured for Kurohoshi to set everything on his desk.

"You can leave everything on my desk. If you don't mind, could you show me which were done by you and which by Hino-san? I would like to see the differences, as to not get surprised later on."

It was the best way Byakuya could cross check without sounding distrusting. But even then, it looked like Kurohoshi-san had caught wind of his intentions, if his next words were anything to go by.

"Sure thing, Taichou. The top two thirds are Hino's work, the rest is mine. I can sit and make you company while you go through them, if you wish so."

The large smile on Kurohoshi's face, more than confirmed the other was no fool and very accustomed to mental games. Without a flicker, Byakuya prompted the other to sit on the unoccupied Fuku-Taichou's desk while he himself started to go through the pile of work Kurohoshi had graciously deposited on his work-table.

First, he quickly went through Hino-san's work. By now, Byakuya was very familiar with the handwriting and style, hence there wasn't much for him to fret about. Within minutes he found the reports compiled by Kurohoshi-san.

Indeed, the calligraphy and pen-script were different. The lines were sharper, rougher around the edges and, surprisingly, they occasionally displayed a mellow touch. Being a calligraphy master, Byakuya needed only see a handwriting to read one's heart. Kurohoshi-san and Hino-san were not bad people. They did have a myriad of secrets and this report proved to confirmed a particular one which had been bothering him since the night before.

"I must say, I am impressed. This is very well done. However, I can clearly see, this is not the work of someone who files documents for the first time, even with tutelage."

Kurohoshi didn't seem to be fazed and dismissed the Taichou in a nonchalant way that ticked Byakuya a little off, on the inside of course. He wasn't about to let anyone see his ruffled feathers.

"You would be correct Taichou. After all, we do come from the same district and since I'm a hopeless case, or so I was, Hino made sure to teach me how to do things like this properly. We did have to file half-a-dozen papers to enroll. I'm sure you know how _'helpful'_ the clerks tend to be to people like us."

The concept made sense and to anyone else, it would appease their anxiety to where you would lower your guard. Byakuya, though, was not your average person. To him, it sounded like a recital, a phrase repeated over and over again for the sole purpose of slithering-by freely and without disturbances.

"And yet, here I find myself doubting you required much prompting or assistance. There papers tell me much more than what you let on, Kurohoshi-san. You already have your style and manner entwined within. It isn't something you acquire by sitting and learning in one day. It takes years if not decades to reach the kind of level you have displayed."

At those words, Kurohoshi scratched behind his head, but the grin never fell off.

"Aw, thanks Taichou. Such a nice compliment. I sure didn't see that coming from you. Meh... I'm just surprising it's all... I've got many secret talents, some are sure to give even you a run for your money. Nothing more or less. But enough about little-old-me. Is everything done to your satisfaction? If so, may I be excused? There are other things waiting to be done by yours truly. Laundry won't get itself washed and folded, you know?"

Normally, the comment would be taken as a positive trait. That is, if Byakuya hadn't changed the person in charge of laundry last night before he stumbled upon the unknown scouts. Before, everyone was to do their own laundry on their own time. However, he had decided that it was far better to assign one person to perform the humble duty every month to build integrity. Going by surnames meant that Hino-san and Kurohoshi-san wouldn't be due for the next few months.

Byakuya's goal was to figure the two out. They were perfectly balanced and complimented one another. The way they moved and acted together or otherwise, showed an amount of trust and a strong bond, one that could not have been born from years in the worst region of the Rukongai. Maybe, it could be possible, but after witnessing the way Third Seat Madarame-san and Fifth Seat Ayasegawa-san behaved and interacted, it indicated the improbability of such an idea. No, these two 'subordinates' had a deeper kind of connection, one earned in blood and heartache. If so, he found his mystery men.

"Before you leave, I do have one question Kurohoshi-san."

Byakuya took a pause to captivate the other. And true to his expectations, Kurohoshi did not move a muscle. The male was waiting for a command or some kind of request. Oh, Byakuya was going to take immense pleasure in bursting that bubble.

"Where were you last night?"

Byakuya intently watched Kurohoshi when he made the inquiry, which proved to be an invaluable resource of information. Kurohoshi did not make a move, but couldn't hide the slight enlargement of his eyes nor the minimal raise of both eyebrows. The move had been discreet and could have passed-by any other Taichou. Unfortunately for Kurohoshi, Byakuya had been taught by the best of the best, even though he was reluctant to admit he learned anything from a cursed purple-haired woman.

A false tranquility settled down in the office with both men contemplating their next moves. No matter what Kurohoshi may say, Byakuya had a counter-statement. Like an enchanted circle, the subject would move back and forth and return to the current topic, unless it was broken and decimated before it started. Judging by the smile on Kurohoshi's face, it was possible the other concluded the same. Either that, or he was trying to anger Byakuya. A different approach to the ongoing situation. Although, if Kurohoshi's goal was to irritate Byakuya with that self-satisfied smirk, he was on the verge of winning. Luckily, Byakuya is very adept at concealing his annoyance, all thanks to the same troublesome lady from his past. Something he resented and would never confess out loud.

"Heh... I guess the jig is up, though, you did take longer than expected. Yo! Ossan, how about you make your entrance? It's not likely he'll be dissuaded from his belief any time soon. It's about time we spill the beans and get a solid move on."

A chill ran down Byakuya's spine. What kind of nickname was 'Ossan'? It sure sounded derogatory at best. And how could Kurohoshi detect anyone's presence when Byakuya himself couldn't feel anyone nearby? Just as he was about to ask Kurohoshi to stop his insanity act, Hino Tomoya appeared out of nowhere, standing to Kurohoshi's left. It took all his might to stay immobile and not jump out of his skin at the unexpected arrival. Seeing the two together like this, brought him back to his previous musings: _'Do they working with or against him?'_

An exasperated exhale, courtesy of Hino-san, brought him back to the present. The punch Hino gave Kurohoshi, managed to startle him beyond words. By Kurohoshi's expression, the small whine followed by the caressing of the sore spot, the older looking one was not pleased in the least.

"Ouch Did you have to do that?! It's not like we didn't expect this to happen. Hell! I was so close to winning our bet!"

A bet?! Did he hear, what he thought he heard? Were the two mocking him by playing games? His retort met a devastating end, when Hino Tomoya spoke up.

"No, you were not. Had you kept your mouth shut for three more days, than yes. Since you saw it fit to blow our cover, you lose by automatic default."

This was getting better and better. His old self would have exploded long before now, it was a miracle and sheer determination to uphold his family name that kept Byakuya's rage at bay. For how much longer, it was yet to be seen.

"Like you're one to talk. You're pissed because, as per your prediction, he should have unraveled our secret a week ago. Let's not forget the third wheel, who was disappointed when the stuck-up heir didn't unmask us last month! At least I came three days close to winning."

With a shake of his head, Hino continued the playful banter.

"You are deliberately leaving out the fact that you brought our situation to the light. Whatever am I going to do with you?"

Kurohoshi had, at least, the decency to seem apologetic. The guilty face was soon replaced by a childish pout. It actually looked cute... Now, instead of worrying about the troublesome duo, Byakuya had the uncanny urge to slap himself for considering Kurohoshi's expression adorable. It was preposterous and indignant, utterly unbecoming of his noble status. If he had issues controlling himself by Kurohoshi's expression, the following words, said with a downhearted tone, accompanied by the sullen look, turned his mind to mush.

"Not punching me would be a nice start. Big deal, he knows we're looking out for him. It's not as if we did something wrong."

Byakuya was struggling hard not to utter a single sound out of place, but those sentences sunk in as if someone splashed him with a bucket of icy water. Once again, he was reminded of his earlier belief, that these two were the unknown individuals preventing his assassinations. Judging by everything so far, the fact they were yet to attack and the latest statement, his speculation was spot on. Now, he just needed to know why. Which meant, he had to find a way into the conversation without getting too much attention. A futile effort considering his safety was the point of the whole talk-fest. Hino-san was not helping in the least, not with those blue eyes staring Byakuya like a mentor about to berate a pupil. Before Byakuya could react to the absurd indirect treatment, he was cut short by the other's tender voice.

"You are rather calm taking all into account. Were you suspecting something was amiss for a while or has it been recently?"

With a calm breath, Byakuya made sure to be fully composed before responding in a monotonous voice, while eye-scanning the documents on his desk. It's not that he was ready to work again, it was simply an additional cover.

"Frankly, I've been wondering why there have been no attempts at my life as of late. When I caught a glimpse of you two last night, I found my answer. The question now is: Why would you do that for me? I may be your Taichou, but I doubt many would do what you have been obviously doing. Disabling that trap must have been a lot of work. Certainly not the kind two ruffians from the Rukongai could wreck apart without guidance. Which warrants even more questions. For the moment, I'll settle on the simple one. Why?"

Neither Kurohoshi nor Hino tried to dissuade or delude Byakuya. If the other saw them, it was pointless. Though, Kurohoshi did bristle when he realized something.

"What? Not even a: _'Thank you for saving my sorry ass'_?! Sheesh and I thought a Clan's Head would have better manners. What the hell was I thinking?"

Sarcasm was Shirosaki's preferred language and neither the Gigai nor his alias 'Kurohoshi' were enough to keep it at bay. It was fortunate that he was sitting and at arms length for Hino, who this time, moderately slapped his partner on the back of the head. Consequently, that warranted a yelp from a dejected Kurohoshi, who grabbed his head with both hands... probably for a better effect.

"We weren't even supposed to let him know we were watching over him, thus gratitude was never part of the equation and you know it. As for why, it's rather simple. We are doing it as a favor to an acquaintance. In turn, this person is doing the same for someone Kurohoshi and I hold dear in a different location, far from our reach."

The revelation had been unexpected, quick and decisive. No hesitation and, most of all, Hino did not beat around the bush. If he took into the equation the way Kurohoshi lowered his hands on the lap while grumbling something that sounded very much like: _'Volatile Ossan... always taking all the fun away...should sue his ass for continuous abuse.'_ he could be sure, the answer was honest and truthful.

"Are you implying you are doing this on someone's orders? I find it very unlikely, even if it meant that they are keeping another individual safe for your sake. Wouldn't it be easier for you to guard the one you have connections to rather than a complete stranger?"

"True. However, there is a slight dilemma. Our associate cannot be here, hence why we volunteered to come in their steed. As we have our own protege, the agreement was easy to make. We make sure you live and they ensure the safety of our little one. Honestly, between us, I believe Kurohoshi and I ended up with the better deal. Our charge is very vivacious."

Byakuya couldn't fault them. It made perfect sense. He was a noble and expected to participate in events, meetings and, as a Taichou, to serve the Gotei 13. If he was honest, his schedule would be exceedingly easy to follow. He used a simple pattern, a habit he should reconsider. Although, following a standard made him more alert to changes around the areas he frequented and, subsequently, he clearly saw when there was a threat nearby. Maybe, a combination of the two was in order?

"I see. Could I somehow convince you to divulge whom your associates are?"

Hino was about to give a negative response. The poor boy was abruptly stopped, when Kurohoshi stood from the chair with a cocky smile plastered on his face. With that look, he appeared nearly demonic or possessed.

"Only if you tell us who wants your head so badly."

This time, Byakuya couldn't prevent his stupor from showing on his features. It was a bold request and it came so suddenly neither Byakuya nor Hino knew how to deal with it.

"Have you lost your mind, Akira?! What possessed you to even consider the idea? Need I remind you, it would go against our accord?"

"It's not such a big deal. Besides, I don't recall any specifications regarding us not telling. It was all about making sure this guy lived and didn't get himself killed. Anything else, was off the table. Anyway, we've been here for far too long. If we continue at this pace, we'll never get back home... and, you know, I sort of miss her..."

The last sentence came out a barely a whisper and something softened in Hino's eyes. Byakuya realized there and then, that there was much more to the story than what he could decipher. Nevertheless, it would be a waste to let an opportunity to catch the culprit of his sleepless nights go to waste.

"You want me to tell you who wants to assassinate me? If it was that simple, we wouldn't be having this discussion in the first place as the threat would have been eliminated or rendered incapable for further pursuit."

A pause fell over the room, until Hino asked with a steady voice.

"Would it make a difference if, hypothetically, we had a list of suspects?"

This time, Byakuya took longer to contemplate the roundabout offer. It would facilitate and expedite the arrest of whomever was behind the scenes and would definitely allow him to rest better at night. He had nothing to lose and going by Kurohoshi's words, the other was just as eager.

"Very well, that should definitely reduce the head count. What do you have?"

By the end of the day, the trio proceeded to cross check the records of questionable individuals Hino and Kurohoshi accumulated since they came to Soul Society. From the pile of twenty-eight suspects, Byakuya took note of four 'special' cases. With the rest thrown in the garbage, it was decided that they would meet at the Taichou's mansion to discuss further steps and methods on how to eliminate the remaining three and apprehend the man in charge.

It soon became visible to all three, that it would be no walk in the park. Hino and Kurohoshi could not be seen entering the manor, for it would be suspicious as to what kind of business two non-seated squad members would have with the Kuchiki noble. Using Hino's special ability, the male passed as his Zanpakuto's skill, the two would infiltrate the household and meet Byakuya at in the memorial chamber. All the servants knew better than to disturb the noble while in that particular room and it wouldn't be surprising if there were noises from within. It was long known that Kuchiki Byakuya spoke to the portrait of the dearly beloved, which reduced any possibility of them being found.

Another thing they would have to be careful, is to not be seen by enemy eyes. Even though they had four man suspects, it wasn't improbable that some may be working together, or even for the culprit to involve more than one branch. It would be years before they reached the end line. Nevertheless, Byakuya could openly tell he slept better at night. Who wouldn't be able to rest peacefully, knowing that there was not one but two guardian angels watching over him and his adopted sister?

* * *

Stirring up from the well deserves slumber, Zangetsu yawned and stretched his limbs. At first, everything was quiet and peaceful. That is, until it became clear it was too silent. Since there was light inside the Inner World, there must be daylight outside, which meant Ichigo was awake. From the day Ichigo learned to mumble and later to speak, there had yet to be a mute day within the expanse which made their Shared World.

In other words, something was wrong. His connection to Ichigo was flimsy at best and occasionally non-existent. It shouldn't be possible. The seals on their power had diminished and were on the verge of breaking. Concentrating on those troublesome things, Zangetsu was peeved to see them stronger than ever. Screw that, it was as if someone reinforced the present one and added additional on the pile.

 _'It can't be! Just a little while ago they were near the breaking point. Besides, this is no Quincy technique but a Shinigami. Ichigo's dad couldn't see spirits and his mom was a Quincy. No one else should have even had the power to do this! Unless...'_

Rummaging through Ichigo's memories, Zangetsu went to the most recent ones. There was a little kid playing running with Ichigo in what looked like a chase around the house.

 _'Huh? Weird.'_

Dismissing it as child's play and banter, Zangetsu backtracked Ichigo's steps. He met a couple of people, both smelled like Quincies. But the kid Ichigo played with, didn't seem very powerful. Zangetsu took a mental note to check on the newly named Uryū and his powers later. He caught a glimpse of a two unusual males, every now and then. Only to finally reach the memory he had been searching for.

 _'You must be kidding me! This guy again?! Shoot! Don't tell me he was the one to do this to us!'_

Zangetsu tried harder to see what occurred, but it all came was blank. That was worrisome, Ichigo wasn't one to simply fall asleep, especially not when one mentioned magic... That's it! The infuriating bastard must have used a Kido spell. Such a dirty trick. Damn! He should have checked why Ichigo sounded upset back then.

No point in crying over spilled milk. They managed to weaken the bonds before, they'd do it again. With Ichi growing at a steady pace, it was a matter of time, only it would be faster. Still, four years of work, blew up in smokes. Argh! Once he gets his claws around the green wearing freak's neck, he'll make sure the other never tried to do something this foolish again.

His pacing on all fours came to a sudden stop when he felt an unusual presence. It was strong and decidedly dangerous. Using all the power he could accumulate, Zangetsu peaked through Ichigo's eyes. The sight of a huge, horrendous Hollow chasing a plus, gave him the willies. Focusing on Ichigo, he tried to understand what was going on in the kid's mind. Nothing... the child was frozen in astonishment which turned to fear the moment the creepy Hollow noticed him.

 _'Run! For the love of everything you hold dear, run! Run like the wind Ichigo! Run inside the house! Call your parents, scream... just do something!'_

Zangetsu cries fell on deaf ears, It wasn't that Ichigo didn't want to listen. The child was just that, a child, one whom could see the monster for what it was. The addition of the black-haired kid, who couldn't see the beast, only served to confuse Ichigo. In his stupor, Ichigo pointed at the Hollow with his finger. The reaction of the little ones would have been hilarious if it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation.

Zangetsu was getting desperate. At this pace, the kids would be devoured and because of the new seals, he could do nothing but watch in horror. When the spider-like monstrosity shot the substance, he was sure they had been toast. Luckily, only the house was hit... That's when it dawned on him, the thing was making sure the little ones had no way to escape. The garden was off-limits with the monster in front and now the house, the sole escape route, was sealed.

The same must have finally sunk inside Ichigo's mind as well, for he grabbed little Uryū and made a run for the house, only to find it blocked by the hardened material. Crying out for help, served to amuse the Hollow and pushed the other child into tears.

At one point, Zangetsu felt a tug at his consciousness. Ichigo was calling him. Tough luck, since someone saw fit to lock him inside... again. Desperate both Ichigo and Zangetsu worked in unison to get the Zanpakuto out. Regretfully, it was useless. They couldn't force materialization with the bonds in place. Only a miracle could save them.

That's when Zangetsu felt something different. Being part Zanpakuto and part Hollow made him more alert to instinctual reactions. Ichigo was tapping at a different side of his powers. _Instincts_. Following his instinct, the boy stood in front of the smaller child, shielding him with all his might and soul.

A crazy idea formed within Zangetsu's brain. If he was to focus all the energy Ichigo was pulling from his instincts and direct it at himself... maybe he could ease his way out. Ichigo was a protector, that much was obvious. In both lifetimes, he did everything he could and went beyond with sheer willpower, instincts, skills, trainings and determination. All that determination was now pointed towards protecting the boy sniveling behind him. That along with a natural drive to defile the attacker could be used as a fuel...

Without a second thought, Zangetsu closed his eyes, relaxed and allowed himself to be consumed by Ichigo's resolve. He had a single shot at this, if everything went according to plans, it would be fine. If not, he would be lost and absorbed by his own wielder...

* * *

 _His futile attempts made the Hollow laugh out loud at the pathetic display. Getting impatient, the Hollow descended on its targets with two of its appendages, ready to impale both boys and devour their delicious souls, when a startling light erupted and blindsided it. What came out of the brightness, made the Hollow take a surprised gulp of air and take an unsteady step back…_

 _d take an unsteady step back…_

 _"What the fuck are you?!"_

A creature appeared out of the golden whirlwind that came out of nowhere. It was about 8'7'' standing on two muscular lizard-like legs. White porcelain skin, glittered in the light of day. White hakama pants are tied at the middle by a black belt, the trousers are complete with black trims around the feet. The muscular chest on display has abs of steel and a line to each side of the hand going from the shoulder blades all the way to the clawed fingertips.

The face is covered by a white mask with three markings to the left side seeming like claw marks. All three are above the area where the left eyebrow should be, with the longest starting from the nape of the nose. They are short but thick, making the ever-smiling expression even more unsettling.

Four spikey protrusion emerge from the shoulders, each one as sharp as a knife and as durable as a diamond. Hip-length ragged orange hair, with black and white highlights frames the whole picture, giving it an eerie appearance. A thick 2'2'' long tail with a red tip, stands out from the tailbone. As if it had a mind of its own, it slowly moved to wrap itself around the orange haired child behind. Since it failed in reaching that far, the tail settled on removing the frustrated and frightened tears from the boy who had yet to lower his hands or open its brown eyes that had closed when the bright light illuminated the area.

The feeling of something caressing his face, made Ichigo blink a few times until he fully opened his brown orbs. The sight of another monster, made him panic, until his eyes settled on the being's face. It was different and it stood on two legs instead of on all fours, but Ichigo could never mistake the mask and the gold on black eyes which radiated security and warmth.

Ever so carefully, the child gently grabbed the tail, quietly asking:

"Zan-kun?"

The affirmative purring eased all the worry and anxiety in Ichigo's heart. _'Zan-kun is here. Everything will be ok.'_

Hearing those words from within Ichigo's mind, made Zangetsu rumble once more in agreement. No ugly-mugged Hollow with one too many appendages was going to hurt his Ichi, not if he had something to say. And boy, did he have several choice sentences at the ready for the spider-beast.

The Hollow was many things, but not moronic. True, compared to his height of eighteen feet, the new Hollow being was decidedly smaller and should have been an easy prey. Yet, the Joro-spider-like Hollow refrained from making any sudden moves. It might be stupid to fear a mere bug, but the Reiatsu of the shorter Hollow, made his skin crawl. It was the sensation all animals felt when in the presence of their natural superior, the predator.

The more reasonable part of the Hollow's brain, demanded he squashed the pest and got to the vulnerable children. However, the primal side was screeching and urging it to flee the scene. Unable to decide what to do, it settled on repeating its previous question:

"What the fuck are you? If you're not here to devour those two morsels, then get out of my face!"

Considering the threatening growl his outburst got from its competitor, the spider-Hollow concluded it had been a bad idea to get the others attention. With right, the moment Zangetsu made eye contact with its opponent, it was as if hell released one of its finest furies on the run.

Before one could sneeze, the Hollow was already missing one of its hind legs, prompting it to catch itself with its front limbs. Getting pissed and irritated, it fought back. That was the second fatal mistake it made that day.

While the Hollows went at each other's throats, the back door burst open to the outside, knocking little Uryū unconscious to the side and sending Ichigo flying amidst the center of the battle. The disturbance was enough to give the Joro-Hollow a minuscule advantage and that was to spit its sticky substance onto the boy, petrifying him on the spot.

Zangetsu was furious, but not to the point he lost sight of what was important and to him that was Ichigo's safety. He had not seen when the door exploded, but when he saw Ichigo landing between him and the Hollow, he was temporarily stunned. The precious second was all it took for the other to paralyze Ichigo. Going with the flow, Zangetsu was about to charge a Cero at the palm of its hands, when the creature bellowed:

"Don't you dare! Nobody moves! One muscle twitch, and the kid is toast! I can change the property of my poison-web and I swear, if you don't let me go, the kid is as good as dead!"

As to prove its point, the substance started to melt eliciting a scream of pain from the child trapped within. Having heard the threat, the adults, plus one Zanpakuto spirit, paused in their steps.

Masaki, Ryuken and Katagiri had been shooting arrow, upon arrow onto the door, with an added Kido push from Urahara and Tessai, the door and the whole frame exploded backwards. With the path open, they realized their mistake… the children were hit by the flying catapult. But not only them. Isshin, who was in a Gigai and without his powers, was sent to dream-land by the amount of Reiatsu the remaining members had used.

They were fortunate, that, subconsciously, Ichigo had placed a protective barrier around little Uryū, who got hit from behind. The boy bounced off Ichigo and fell to the side. Ichigo, had no such luck and got the rest of the impact, which brought us to the current situation.

Seeing that all present took his threat to heart, the Hollow laughed out loud, before taking careful steps back in hopes of opening a Garganta and leave the area. Of course, it had no intention of abandoning such a succulent morsel behind. The problem was on how to get it before he was killed by the crazy humanoid-lizard thing, or the powerful humans behind the unnatural being.

The Zanpakuto and grown-ups were wondering what to do. Even the slightest twitch and Ichigo would be melted by whatever magic the Hollow used. Zangetsu, though, couldn't just sit and let things go like this. He had to get Ichi out of whatever that thing was. He had no doubts that the Hollow would try to manipulate them or use another dirty trick.

Thinking fast, the best solution was to envelope Ichigo's body from the inside with Reiatsu and push the same outwards, until Ichi was safe from the dangerous web. With that in mind, he lowered its clawed hand, disarming the Cero and closing his eyes as in surrender. The gesture shocked all present, including the Hollow, who foolishly assumed, that was an invitation to eat him instead of the kid.

Zangetsu needed just a few seconds, several precious moments to engulf Ichigo in a protective cocoon. He could see the victorious snarl on the other Hollow and prayed his plan would work.

Indeed, the Hollow had taken its time to examine its opponent. Since there were no signs of resistance, it slowly moved forward. When none made any attempts to stop it, it decided that a swift hit with one of its head appendages would bring a good meal.

Before the limb could connect, it was cut off by a black machete, with a black and crimson-red handle. The instant appendage touched the ground, Zangetsu had moved with surreal speed and sliced the Hollow's head clean in two.

While the Hollow was disintegrating in the background, Zangetsu swiftly approached the web and clawed its way to Ichigo. The now gooey material acted much like acid and was burning his flesh, but Zangetsu disregarded the pain in favor of working faster. All his regenerating powers were concentrated around Ichigo and keeping him safe from the web. The moment he reached him, he pulled him out as fast as he could and embraced him with all the strength he could muster. The boy, in turn, wrapped his small hands around the others neck, crying out loud in relief of seeing the kind giant who always made him company.

Like a spell being broken, the adults, minus Katagiri, circled the Zanpakuto, while Katagiri rushed to her son's side. Thankfully, the little one was fast asleep and there weren't any signs that he got hurt. Instead, an unusual form of Blut surrounded the child's body and worked as a barrier, keeping the boy safe from harm. As soon as she took notice, it spread out and turned into Reishi tiny particles.

Urahara, Tessai, Ryuken and Masaki surrounded the Hollow that was keeping the second child 'hostage'. There was something intelligent and relieved in the Hollow's stance and Masaki felt very reluctant to try and harm it.

A thought which was not shared by the rest of the group, who were searching for a weakness or a way to kill the Hollow without hurting the kid. It was soon revealed, their efforts were irrelevant, when Ichigo started giggling within the Hollows embrace.

Zangetsu was becoming angsty with all the tension in the air. It was not doing anything good for Ichigo and he hated seeing the other cry. Doing what he discovered always bought a smile out of Ichi, he used his tail to tickle the little one in all the right spots which guaranteed a positive reaction.

True to his expectations, Ichigo smiled and laughed, while trying to get the 'evil' tail away from his tiny body. Once Ichigo was happy, Zangetsu lowered him down to the ground. As if sensing the other was about to leave, Ichigo grabbed Zangetsu by his right hand, determined not to let go. Zangetsu lowered himself to eye level and immediately, Ichigo attached himself back to his neck. Giving the child a reassuring purr, Zangetsu motioned to Ichigo's mother, who was awestruck as much as the rest of the group.

Ichigo did look at his mom and felt puzzled. He didn't want to let go of Zangetsu, but his mommy looked pale and frightened. Zangetsu was counting on Ichigo's instincts to kick in and with a light pat on the back, he persistently motioned with his head in her direction.

The pull of his protective side, prompted Ichigo to let go of Zangetsu, just enough to let the Zanpakuto return to their Inner World. Sensing Zangetsu was fine and going to sleep, Ichigo promptly ran towards his mother. Masaki lowered herself on autopilot, still in shock and in disbelief. Her son was almost killed by a Hollow, save by another only for the same Hollow to cheer her child up. It was surreal and had she not seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't think something alike was even possible.

Ryuken didn't know what to say and simply moved towards Katagiri and his own son. Making a quick inspection, he concluded the other was safe and sound. With an audible exhale, he stared Masaki in the eyes. No words were exchanged, but both knew what that look meant. Ryuken had determined Ichigo to be a danger to his son and would make sure the two boys never met again.

It hurt Masaki to see such an expression. In her eyes, Ichigo had done nothing wrong. Something Katagiri would later confirm, once she settled her son in his bed and came back to her senses. In the meantime, the Ishida's quietly left, first the scene and shortly after, the Kurosaki's household.

Urahara and Tessai, on the other hand, continued to stare the boy. The child's Reiatsu was rampant and spilling all over the place. Unfortunately, it was tainted with Hollow powers.

If something was not done and soon, the whole Karakura would swarm with Hollows and Shinigami alike. Urahara was about to ask Tessai to start working on protective barriers when Ichigo's voice tenderly reached their ears.

"Is mommy ok?"

With all the fright the child must have had and had, without a doubt gone through, the first thing it asks is weather his mother was doing fine? The boy's worry for his mom had such a strike, it made everyone aware of the fact the child needed a change of clothes.

Masaki had been so relieved her son appeared healthy, she neglected to realize his clothes had been burnt off or something alike. The straps of the jean overall were completely gone as was most of the back of his light blue t-shirt, leaving the boy's back exposed.

Be it luck or sheer coincidence, the bottom part of the overall managed to stay mostly intact. At one point the shirt and jean material melted and stuck together, which probably explained the little miracle. Surprisingly, there wasn't even a scratch on Ichigo's back, no bruises and no burn marks. Yet back then, Ichigo had cried in pain. Masaki was not complaining, mind you, just baffled. She distinctively remembered the smell of burnt flesh when the Hollow went on the rampage against the web that had imprisoned Ichigo. Maybe it had been a farewell gift? Who know, but she wasn't about to look a gifted horse in the mouth. She was glad her baby-boy was safe and sound.

Forcing a pleasant smile of her own, Masaki tenderly caressed Ichigo's head in a reassuring gesture.

"I'm fine my love. I was worried about you. Are you hurt anywhere? Did the mean monster do anything to you?"

When he saw his mother's smile, Ichigo was so overjoyed he all but forgot everything to do with the bad giant. He was a little sad Zangetsu had to leave, but was content knowing he was just asleep and within reach.

"I, ok. Zan-kun sleepy."

The latter was said so quietly as if his sentence would rouse the resting Zanpakuto. Taking a relieved breath, Masaki took the child in her hands and made her way to Ichigo's bedroom. Once upstairs, she changed him into a burgundy-red polo-shirt and black shorts. Since the white snickers survived, she surmised they could remain on his feet.

In the meantime, Tessai raised as many barriers as he could get away with. No point in getting unnecessary attention from Soul Society. Meanwhile, Urahara checked on Isshin and started the repairing the house. He'd have to change the memory of the nosy-neighbors, but compared to all of their previous scare, it was a minor inconvenience.

By sunset, everything was back to normal and Masaki had insisted Urahara and Tessai remained for dinner. It goes without saying, they weren't mad to refuse the generous invitation. Isshin couldn't remember much, thanks to the hit on the head he got from the ordeal, but he was back in his goofy mood and making Ichigo run around the house. Isshin was trying to do one of his signatures: _'daddy-bear hug'_ which Ichigo detested, hence the reason why the little one was trying to avoid his father like the plague.

With the ongoing game, Masaki had determined she had more than enough time to do the dishes. Before she started, Tessai approached and offered to do the tedious task as a form of gratitude for the delicious meal. It didn't take much for Masaki to hand over the duty to Tessai. She was exhausted and ready for bed.

Urahara used the opportunity to get Masaki's attention by giving her a glass of water. There was no reason to duck the issue, thus, he started offhandedly.

"Masaki-san, I know you can feel Kurosaki-kun's Reiatsu. It should be blocked, unless we want a repeat of today. Most likely, your son's Reiatsu surfaced because of the Hollow's vicinity. Tessai-san and I can help you keep an eye out for him.

The shopkeeper was not holding his punches and with right. The amount of energy her baby had was tremendous. More importantly, it was Hollow tainted. She feared that the Hollow side would eventually surface and eat him from the inside, just like when she nearly died. Had it not been for Isshin…

"I know. Before we do, I have to ask… will it be the same for Ichigo as it was for me? Will he have to face the Hollow inside and fight it off like Isshin did to save my life? If so, is there any way to remove it from his soul?"

Urahara mulled the information in his head. It took everything Isshin had to stabilize Masaki's soul and prevent Soul Suicide. From the little he could read about the little one, his case was slightly different. The Hollow part was an integrated part of his soul. In time the process would be destabilized, but by then, he hoped, the boy would grow up and could train with the Vizard's to keep the Hollow at bay.

Another thing that didn't escape his genius mind, was the Hollow's behavior. Never had he heard of a Hollow capable of tenderness. The way the monster had acted, was simply different and unlike anything he had ever seen.

That on itself represented a new issue. Was the beast acting friendly with the purpose to deceive the youth when he boy grew-up and became the perfect target? Was it waiting for the child to mature both physically and mentally only to devour him by breaking the bond of trust it had created? It was hard to tell, but one thing was certain, if they didn't act, the child would be targeted by Soul Society and that meant Ichigo would end up in Kurotsuchi's grasps. Reiou forbid that happened. It was much better to be devoured by a Hollow you thought was your friend then to be dissected by his old second in command.

"I won't lie to you, Masaki-san. I'm afraid their souls are already entwined. They were from the moment he was born. When he is old enough, I have a few friends who can teach him how to control that side of him. For now, that's impossible and improbable, not with him being so small and fragile. The only thing we can do, is repress it and keep it at bay. At least, until we are sure what it wants. Its behavior was unnatural and I fear it's trying to befriend your son with the purpose of catching him off guard when he matures."

Reluctantly, Masaki agreed. She had never seen a Hollow act like that. Not to mention, when the beast lowered itself t nuzzle Ichigo, could it be it was sniffing the boy? Even before she knew what she was doing, she nodded her head in agreement. If Ichigo was raised believing Hollows were friendly creatures, he would either die by one of them or would be murdered by someone he considered his friend. She didn't want to risk either option. And if what Urahara-san said was true, then, when the time was right, Ichigo would be taught all he needed to know about his rare power.

It wasn't an easy decision and she was definitely not happy, but if it kept her son safe, she'd risk even his anger when he was older. For now, she would do what could be done.

Urahara understood her to a certain level. He had become very attached to the little tyke and did not want to see the youngster harmed. An impossible feat, as the boy would grow and become more and more powerful. Tapping Masaki a few times on her back, he went back to the living room and made himself comfortable on the couch. His mind in turmoil. He was wondering how the Hollow came out in the first place. Once the child was brought down to him, he hoped the mystery would be clearer.

Masaki set there in the kitchenette for a few more minutes. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. As if the universe agreed, Ichigo came running. Seeing his mother, the child hid under the table and grasped his mother's legs. Masaki tenderly caressed his soft spiky hair. She didn't get to enjoy the moment long, for Isshin came tumbling down the stairs. Must have slipped and fell. God knows how often the male hurt himself in his escapades. She was really glad Urahara-san made the Gigai more resistant than what would be the norm for a regular human.

"That's enough Isshin. It's time we got Ichigo ready to sleep."

At hoer words both Kurosaki's made disapproving sounds. Isshin because he had yet to hug the party-boy, Ichigo because he wasn't tired. How could he, when he had Reiatsu to spare? Masaki picked Ichigo up and continued.

"It was a long day and we al need to rest. Now, let's go brush your teeth and if you do it right, we can see a bit of magic before going to bed."

Ichigo was excited at the prospect of seeing magic. He had fallen asleep during the previous 'show', so he was very eager to see something better. With that said, Masaki took Ichigo to the upper level's bathroom and once satisfied her baby was properly washed, she took him downstairs to the living room where she promptly sat opposite of Urahara.

Urahara must have informed Isshin of the rest, for the other was standing near the open entrance to the kitchenette with Tessai at his side. Urahara made a small motion to get the boy in his lap to facilitate the operation. The plan was ruined by Ichigo. The boy refused to be picked by the man in green and no amount of encouragement worked.

"Go on love. I thought you wanted to see some magic?"

Ichigo glanced between the man and his mom, but ended up attaching himself to his mother's neck.

"I don't want and Zan-kun not like him."

The child's words struck a cord in all present. They were now even more scared than before. Just how long has the Hollow been influencing the little one? In this case, the only way to have Ichigo cooperate, was to put him asleep in a different way.

Urahara looked Masaki in the eyes and discreetly pointed to Tessai. Seconds later, Masaki turned to face the tall man and she gave a quick nod. Permission granted, Tessai sent a quick sleeping Kido to put the boy asleep. Within seconds, Ichigo was safe in dreamland, while the adults came closer and prepared to re-seal the kid's Reiatsu.

Upon closer inspection, Urahara was left speechless. The spell he had placed that afternoon, was shattered. No wonder the Hollow escaped. That had been the strongest Kido he mastered. Meeting eyes with Tessai, he passed the duty to the ex-Kido-Master. The room glowed a light blue and green while Tessai worked. He surmised a better spell would do the trick. It would be troublesome, but it wouldn't be easily broken. The best way to seal the child's Reiatsu, was to create a seal that would feed on the boy's energy. Much alike the eyepatch the new Twelfth Division had created for Kenpachi-Taichou, only this one would be invisible and buried within the boy's soul.

By the time everything was said and done, Masaki's anxiety reached new levels. She was nervous the spell could affect Ichigo or his happiness. Even more, she feared the day he would be told the truth. The only thing left, was to pray and implore any God out there to keep her little one safe from trouble. Little did she know, it was only the beginning.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 _ **Reminders**_ _: English is still not my mother language. If I made a mistake along the way, please let me know. Sorry for repeating the same parts all over again xD_

 _Until next time, enjoy! :D_


	37. Chapter 37

_Aloha!_

 _Chapter XXXVII is ready and eager to blow your mind._

 _Disclaimer, reminder, and warnings all as per usual:_

 _ **Friendly reminder**_ _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC._ _ **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea**_ _:) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D_

 _ **Disclaimer**_ _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 _ **WARNINGS**_ _:_ _Spoiler alert_ _for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime!_ _Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age readers. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3  
_

I can't tell how happy I am this story is progressing so smoothly.

As for Ichi and Zangetsu's interactions, I really believe it's a shame the manga/anime didn't see them talk to each other that much. Can't help but wonder if Ichigo may have reached a new level had he had the motivation to chat once in a while to both Zangetsu's.

* * *

 _Chapter XXXVII_

* * *

The day following the birthday fiasco saw two parents mulling over their decision in anxiety. Normally, the little one was an early riser and the two would find him playing quietly in his room until they themselves roused from their blissful dreams or came to get him for breakfast. As it stood, their baby-boy had yet to wake-up from the Kido inducing sleep.

Urahara-san did mention that forcing restraints on the child's Reiatsu could and would have side effects such as grogginess, a desire to rest for longer hours, sudden and unexpected spells of tiredness and the urge to occasionally nap. Considering the boy's age, these characteristics could easily pass as normal pulls and child's needs. Only the parents, Urahara-san and Tessai-san would be privy to the true cause.

Masaki went to Ichigo's room for the hundredth time that morning, the child was cocooned within white summer bed-sheet, unaware of anything or the world outside the cozy shelter it had made in its slumber. Every now and then, orange locks peeked from the sheet, hinting that the child was having a restless dream.

Bearing in mind her condition, Masaki shouldn't stress out as much as she did. However, being a mother, it was an impossible feat. Her firstborn was there so close yet so out of reach. It was torture to know there was nothing she could do. Sealing her son's Inner Hollow had been the correct choice, right?

She continued to persuade herself that had been the right turn of events. A true Hollow couldn't be fully trusted. Not with the way it had acted like a possessive beast. Fine, she was judging it from knowing it for a few seconds, but there was no denying the expression of utmost desire the Hollow had displayed.

Yet, there was a voice in the back of her head telling her the verdict had been a little too harsh. Ichigo cared about the monster, that much was obvious. Heck, judging from the way Ichigo had hugged the beast, it would have been visible even to the sightless. And here she was, the conspirator who helped in removing that bond.

Was she a bad mother? Maybe, but she did it in order to keep her son safe. Until yesterday, she had been sure her boy wouldn't even be involved in the matters of the afterlife besides guiding the occasional spirit to Soul Society. The events of the previous day spoke otherwise. Should the Shinigami get wind of even a tenth of Ichigo's Reiatsu, they would likely take him away.

Long ago, she wouldn't have considered her thought a probability. Having spent so much time with Isshin, Urahara-san and Tessai-san made her reconsider. If half of their stories were true, her boy could be killed just for being born from a Quincy and ex-Shinigami, let alone for having an Inner Hollow.

She wasn't one for negative thoughts, yet, here she is, watching her child as if someone would come bursting through the window and take him away. She had been so lost in thoughts, she didn't see the looming figure of her husband behind her. On any other day, she would have sensed him coming before he took the first step towards the stairs, today, though, she was out of it.

Isshin, too, was having a hard time. Without his powers, there wasn't much he could do to reassure either his wife or himself. It was the first time in a long while he felt sorry, not for what he had done, but for his useless self. In case of an attack, there wasn't much he could do. Hell! He couldn't even see spirits, let alone Shinigami or Hollows. Had it not been for Tessai-san and Urahara-san, he wouldn't have known about yesterday's incident. Well, Masaki would have filled him in… eventually… At least he was up to date. Still, how long until something happened and he was unable to do anything about it?

Without thinking, he placed a reassuring hand on Masaki's shoulder. Any other day, the gesture would have been welcomed with Masaki placing her hand atop his own. Today, that wasn't the case. Instead of consoling, the motion served to make her jump in fright, a solid proof she was on edge and her nerves were fried.

She soon recovered. Taking a few deep gulps of air and faced Isshin with a small smile.

"You scared me. Sorry…I guess I'm a little nervous after yesterday's events."

Isshin smiled back. It was a safe way to comfort her when his first attempt failed. To further ease the burden from her shoulders, he decided to speak calmly and quietly.

"That's normal. Don't worry about it. Besides, look at him… he's doing alright… the little rascal, sleeping the day away… There is nothing to worry about. Urahara-san and Tessai-san will keep an extra set off eyes for any wandering Shinigami and divert their attention. At the same time, thanks to the new barrier Tessai-san placed around the house, we will know immediately if anything comes nearby."

He could tell, she was more than aware of the new wards. Especially since she herself had tested their sturdiness and alarm settings. Isshin had found immense pleasure in watching her do whatever she did. As an added bonus, he got an even better rouse from Urahara's horrified face. The distraught expression and pout, made him double over in laughter.

Shame it all ended, when Tessai-san placed the strongest barrier to date. One that managed to placate even Masaki's furious outburst. He knew she did it not only to experiment the strength behind the barrier but as an outlet to her accumulated stress. Deep down, he knew Urahara-san and Tessai-san did it for her health. Seeing Masaki's anxiousness, he wondered if perhaps he should ask the duo to come back for a second round.

"I know…I know, it's just… I feel like we made a mistake… you know, by sealing his energy away. I don't know what I'd do if I was to lose my gift. I've lived my entire life as Quincy with all the responsibilities and strengths my Reishi manipulation gives me… if anyone was to remove that part of me the same way we did to Ichi… I'm not sure I would be ever able to forgive such a transgression against my soul… Yet, here we are… we deliberately removed an essential part of his being and trapped it inside him… How will he ever see us as anything but monsters? I'm terrified he will never trust us…"

With the last sentence, she turned away from him, staring at the wrapped bundle that made their little boy. Quietly, Isshin took a deep breath. He had to be extra careful with what he said, least he made her even more upset.

"Look, we did it for his own safety. I know it sounds harsh, but you have to spot blaming yourself. We both agreed and allowed this to happen. Therefore, we have to and we will share the problem. No matter how he reacts, we will take it one step at a time and when he is bigger, we will explain our reasoning. From there on, we'll have to deal with whatever he chooses to do."

His words sunk deep. In fact, she found herself with more worries and questions than answers.

"What if he won't want to have anything to do with us? Can you really live with yourself knowing that we destroyed his future, even before he knew what was going on? He may end up hating us for the rest of his existence… Can you be sure he'll understand why we did something as vile as to restrain his soul?"

This time, Isshin hugged her from behind. Lowering his head to her shoulders, he answered to the best of his capabilities.

"As I said, it's useless to think about _what ifs_. What we can do, is guide him through life and raise him the best we can. When the time comes for us to face the music, we will do it together as one. If we do the rest properly… leading him on the right path and wishing his best… we should also consider the probability that he will become a responsible and mature young man, who will understand we had naught but good intentions."

Masaki wasn't convinced. She was deeply bothered by the visage of the Hollow. Its skin had reminded her so much of Shirosaki-san and he wasn't a bad person. But the armor, the sharp blades jutting out from the shoulders, the mask with sharp teeth and those clawed hands and feet… the whole silhouette inspired nothing but fear. When Ichigo hugged the creature around the neck, she nearly fainted. Just one wrong move from the boy's part and he would have lost an arm. As if sensing it wasn't enough, Isshin tried to cheer Masaki up with his goofier personality.

"Let us not forget he is our son and therefore shares both of our blood. Who knows, by the time he comes of age, instead of being pissed at us for sealing his Reiatsu, he'll be mad at all the things I'm planning to do to him. Like, embarrass him in front of his friends and girls he will eventually bring home. I can already picture, it… our baby-boy chasing me around the house, while his girlfriend laughs at his misfortune of having a Shiba for a father."

The visual imagery did wonders and earned a chuckle from Masaki. He finally had her. Whispering in her ear, he gave her even more laughing material. Within minutes, she was barely holding herself from falling on the floor from suppressing her happy outburst. Luckily, Isshin was there to stabilize her and keep her on her feet.

With Masaki's improved mood, Isshin took the opportunity to finish in style. Resuming a more placid stance, he proceeded.

"Back to business… he may be a Kurosaki by name, but there is Shiba blood running in those veins and Shiba's are not known for holding a grudge. Have faith in us and consequently in him. You'll see, he'll grow to be a great man."

Wiping tears of mirth, Masaki couldn't do much but agree with her husband. Only time would tell what the future holds. Isshin was right, she'd have to let fate work its magic. In the meantime, she would be a mother and do what mothers do best… understand and be there for their kids.

* * *

Locked inside Ichigo's Inner World, Zangetsu carefully caressed the boy's sleeping face. The materialization and fight against the Hollow had drained him of his energy, not to mention the mini-transformation. On one side, he was glad everything occurred as it did, for it gave him an extra power boost and unlocked his first transformation. On the other side, he was stuck inside…again…

When he caught wind of the adults' plan, he had sent a mental message to Ichigo to stay away from the green-wearing freak. Really, he had forgotten how tricky Shinigami could be. While distracted by one, the collaborator in the shadows lulled Ichi asleep.

This time, the bonds were stronger than the previous ones, meaning he wouldn't be able to budge for a while. It pissed him off to no ends. Why did they do that? Why seal Ichigo's Reiatsu? It was pointless. Sooner or later the innate energy would surface and crush the irksome bonds. It was better to let the energy grow and flow through the child's body. Like this, when Ichigo awoke his powers, there was no telling how big of an explosion it will cause. So, why?

He didn't sleep the whole night… his mind was running amok searching for a reason, probability, and any other ideas, in an attempt to figure out the answer to that one question… _'Why?'_ None of his actions warranted such a harsh punishment and Ichigo didn't deserve to be restrained.

Before long, his unsettled temper and anger summoned his wielder. Taking the chance to vent out, Zangetsu found pleasure in chasing Ichigo in a make-believe game of tag. The little one didn't need to know the reason for his furry. Instead, he made it as if he had been lonely and had wanted Ichi's company. The child did take the bait and played along to exhaustion.

Once sure Ichigo was deeply asleep, Zangetsu laid on the ground and wrapped himself around the dormant baby, offering comfort and warmth. Although, he didn't find a concrete answer to his query, Ichigo's presence had been all he needed. The boy's aura calmed him and made him content. As long as Ichi was safe, he wouldn't complain too much. Naturally, so long he got to see the little imp.

In the morning hours, Zangetsu carefully stretched. The heat surrounding his abdomen signified that Ichigo was still resting, thus the Zanpakuto tried not to move too much. A part of Ichigo must have known it was morning, for their world was illuminated by a pleasant sunshine. There were a few clouds in the otherwise azure sky, but he easily dismissed them as stress from the previous day.

As time passed, Zangetsu started to get antsy. He was glad to have Ichigo all to himself, yet a part of him sensed something was wrong. The child was like a ball of energy, sparkly and always in motion. The prolonged nap was unnatural. It was possible Ichigo had spiritually exhausted himself when Zangetsu got his second Adjucha form. Still, if that was the case, the little one shouldn't have had the energy required to come and visit.

The previously pristine white clouds were changing forms and color. From the fluffy white, they were turning dark and ominous. From previous experiences, Zangetsu knew that gray clouds were a certain sign of discomfort, tension or distress. It couldn't be discomfort, for he had made sure the child slept securely around his body. Zangetsu doubted it was tension, as it was a feeling reserved for when the boy was awake.

That left only distress, which was weird. What could be bothering his wilder in the land of dreams? Being the curious creature, he was, Zangetsu prepared to peek into his owner's mind when he heard sounds coming from the Material World. Someone was talking. Since the clouds partly cleared, Zangetsu decided to focus on the outer world. He would inspect Ichigo's dreams a little later.

Apparently, Ichigo's family was concerned just as much as Zangetsu himself. Listening to the silent conversation, Zangetsu realized both parents felt a certain amount of remorse for what they had done.

' _As they should! Trying to separate us because I saved Ichigo. Where the hell had_ _ **they**_ _been when the Hollow attacked?! Yeah! Nowhere in sight! Even when they came, they were useless. And who saved Ichi from the gooey poisonous web? Me! That's who! Argh! They should be counting all their lucky stars I can't come out and teach them a lesson…'_

Hollows were not prone to forgive and forget. They moronic parents should consider themselves fortunate Zangetsu was a Zanpakuto and not a full-scale Hollow, otherwise, he'd be demanding their blood as compensation for their idiocracy.

Even so, precisely because he was a Zanpakuto, Zangetsu understood their motives. All they wanted was to take care of Ichigo and keep him out of harms reach. They were protecting the little one from himself… As the Zanpakuto of the small protector, he could comprehend their reasoning. How could they know he was not a beast or a despicable monster after the boy's soul? It's not like he could have spoken to them even if he had wanted. Who knows if they would have cared to listen, to begin with, even had he had a proper voice?

If nothing else, he had his answer and a piece of him felt at ease. Knowing that it was done for Ichigo's well-being, reduced any hatred or ill-feeling he harbored towards the two co-conspirators.

Turning his attention back to the resting kid, Zangetsu realized that had he been in their shoes, he would have probably done the same or something akin. Anything to keep the child happy, healthy and out of danger. Behind the mask, a kind smile was followed by purring sounds. Yes, he could sympathize with the ignorant duo.

Someday, he was sure, Ichigo would rise above their insecurities and prove them wrong. When that happened, he hoped he would be in his Vasto Lorde form. That way, he would have the liberty to snicker and poke fun at their stupidity.

With a clawed hand, Zangetsu caressed those soft, vibrant and spiky locks. No matter how often he did it, he always found himself humming in delight. He suddenly realized why Ossan loved taking care of the boy in their previous life. Cursing himself for having been nothing but a monster during Ichi's former childhood, Zangetsu couldn't but wonder what it would have been like back then had he been more attentive and less beastly.

Thoughts of the past were never pleasant for the Zanpakuto for multiple reasons. For one: he had acted like a monster from the worst kind of nightmares. Secondly: they made him nostalgic. He missed his less threateningly looking Vasto Lorde figure and all the benefits that came with it. Most of all, he sometimes felt lonely. Without Ossan's strict and calm presence, it was as if a puzzle fragment was missing. Even when the majority of the canopy is assembled, that one broken part becomes a great eyesore.

With a sigh, Zangetsu shook his head, as if chasing all the negative energy out of his being. As he did that, a drop of water hit his face, making him immediately pause. Raising his head, he was met by a sky full of gray and dark heavy clouds. When did the weather change? Focusing on the sleeping figure, he was petrified to see an anguished expression marring Ichigo's chubby face.

It wasn't normal… the whole oversleep was abnormal… now, this…

' _What's going on? This is the first time I see something like this…at least in this life. When did I witness something similar…? I know I have my memories, but they tend to be foggy and disorienting. Wait… Ichi's spiritual body is here in our Inner World, but his mind is roaming deeper into his subconscious. Shoot, why did he have to go there?'_

The innermost minds-cape was a restricted area not even he, as a Zanpakuto, had access. Back in the old days, Ossan had created a subspace atop the outer layer of that zone to keep him locked away. Meaning, not even the Old Man himself had the possibility to navigate further down than the upper levels. If Ossan had trouble accessing the profound current of rampant subjugated thoughts, Zangetsu himself stood no chance.

Yet, the hurt on Ichigo's face was so prominent that it made his own chest ache in discomfort. He knew he had to do something…anything to clear the pain from the angel's features… but what? What can he do?

That's when an unlikely idea formed in Zangetsu's head. What if he partly fused his heart and mind with Ichigo's? It was a risky endeavor and he could easily lose himself in the torrent of uncontrollable emotions, memories and other things lurking in that void. A terrifying notion, for he could be gone for years to come without a method to return to the surface.

On another note, if he was successful, he should be able to reach Ichigo, see whatever was troubling the youngster and hopefully force them both back here. Truly, dangerous and reckless… then again, he wasn't known for being subtle nor for playing safe… a trait he picked from Ichigo all those centuries ago.

Having made his mind, Zangetsu took a deep, calming breath and, slowly, let it drift out. He moved the baby on his lap, so he could sit comfortably on the soft grass. Once assured the child was well positioned and he himself was well situated, he closed his right hand in a tight fist except for the pointer finger which stood straight as an arrow.

With a steady hand, he moved the clawed finger to Ichigo's chest. Immediately, the white talon was engulfed in black Reiatsu, changing its color from porcelain white to pitch black. The change was reflected by the rest of the sharp appendages through his body.

Then, he felt it, a tug at the energy he was offering. Closing his eyes, he relaxed and let himself go into the unknown. When doing so, he had to prove his trust in Ichigo. Even a sliver of doubt or concern would doom him to oblivion into the foreboding darkness.

He felt weightless as if he was floating in a space with no gravity. Hopefully, that was a good sign. To his left, he sensed the same minuscule pull he experienced on the surface with Ichigo just moments ago. Since there wasn't much to go on, especially with closed eyes, he opted to track whatever was slowly sucking his energy. Even though his golden orbs were closed, he could tell he was moving away from the obscurity. Another hint everything would be fine, right?

Deep darkness was getting dispersed and replaced with hums and fast-moving lights. He didn't like how the sound echoed in the distance. But he had no time to try and discern what the noises represented, for his tail was grabbed by delicate hands.

The unexpected action startled him so much, he opened his eyes wide in panic. Looking behind himself, he found the one who gripped his sensitive appendage. Staring back at his golden orbs was none other than the child he was searching for. Ichigo was clutching his tail with all the might he could muster, as though, the limb would somehow protect him from the terrifying monsters, sounds, and visual effects.

It was at this point that Zangetsu realized something was horribly wrong. Ichigo was as pale as a ghost, with wide brown terrified eyes on the verge of tears. Its tiny body was shaking like a leaf about to be blown away from the sanctuary of other branches and the potent tree.

Wanting to reassure his wielder, Zangetsu pulled the boy closer to his legs in an attempt to sooth the little one. Now that he found him, he felt relieved beyond words. All that was left, was to get out. Easier said than done, especially since the Zanpakuto had absolutely no idea where in hell they were. One thing was certain, Ichigo didn't like it here. That, in turn, prompted another question, what scared Ichigo so much?

Against his better judgment, Zangetsu turned his face away from the boy and looked around himself in all directions. No matter where he pointed his gaze upon, he was met by mirror fragments. Scratch that, the whole place was one huge mirror cut in pieces. Each connected by invisible glue and displaying a different scene, most of which had his own stomach hurl in distaste.

Memories… these were all fragments of Ichigo's past and current life. Sure, there were several good ones, but they were less notable with all the pain and suffering emanating from the vast majority. Never before had Zangetsu felt so much repulsion in his life. He, himself, had done severe damage to Ichigo's psyche a few centuries ago, but his actions had mostly been, thankfully, restrained by Ossan. Stars forbid, he had been fully active and uncontrollable.

No… not even he was such a monster… Hell! He'd never do half the shit he was watching… There were things he wouldn't have even considered! As a Hollow, he had but one wish… to devour and take over the tasty soul that had formed Ichigo's spirit and energy. Once done, he would have returned to Hueco Mundo and lived like any other Vasto Lorde in relative peace with occasional fights for dominance against other Hollows. Battles were engaged for the purpose of gaining land, territory, mates and what not… So long as there was a fight, it was worth the reward or consequences.

This… what he was staring at… was on a new level of fucked-up. It was no shocker the kid was frightened out of his mind… Heck… Ichigo had gone through so much shit… It's a miracle he had been sane at all…

Cursing under his breath, Zangetsu turned back to the child who had yet to release the death grip on his tail. He lowered himself in a futile attempt to hide those images from view. It didn't do much good, not with the background noises and screams, but he still tried.

"Don't look at it… heck. Don't watch any of those things Ichi… Concentrate on me… Listen to my voice and tune out everything else… I promise we'll get out of here… All you see… is nothing but a bad dream. I'll get you out and then you'll wake-up with me. We can play with your toys and have fun. You do want to leave right?"

Poor Zangetsu forgot he was stuck in his Adjucha form and, consequently, couldn't speak as of yet. All he did was make growling and rumbling sounds which did nothing to ease the child's worry.

Huffing out in annoyance, Zangetsu did the next best thing that came to mind. He wrapped his hands around Ichigo and pulled him to his chest while purring. The gentle vibration and warm embrace did their magic and relaxed the boy. In fact, Ichigo reciprocated the hug. Tail be damned, this was way better. The muscular chest and mighty muscles that held so much tenderness acted like a balsam to the unsettled soul. Second by second the trembling diminished to the point where they weren't very notable.

Taking the child's improved state of mind, Zangetsu focused on leaving the wretched place behind. With no guidance and no knowledge of the area they were located, the Zanpakuto did not fancy their odds at leaving unscratched.

The only thing he could do was to hold Ichigo tightly and focus on the child's energy. Instinctively, he wrapped his Reiatsu around Ichigo, who in turn did the same. The energy rose and engulfed the duo in golden flames. Before long, they disappeared, leaving the recesses of Ichigo's mind behind.

Feeling a soft breeze, Zangetsu dared to open his eyes. Releasing a breath, he hadn't been aware of holding in, he was really glad to find himself back in the grass-field. If the weight on his arms was anything to go by, Ichi came along for the ride. Sure enough, when he looked down, he first saw a tuft of orange hair, followed by the child's body clad in his pajamas. Never before had he been so glad to be back in this place.

Ichigo must have felt his ease, for the boy raised his head and looked around. With the familiarity of the location and the strong being keeping him protected, the little one's mood turned from sour to his usual bubbly and energetic self.

Soon enough, the duo was running, laughing or purring in delight, until Ichigo paused and looked into the distance. A new building was slowly rising from the ground, it wasn't clear exactly what it was, but it was different.

Zangetsu wasn't perturbed by the new item in the scenery. On the contrary, it was proof that even when locked, Ichigo's Reiatsu was evolving and developing. The fright must have triggered yet another modification in the flow of their energy. It wasn't uncommon and it wouldn't be the last of it. Their Inner World was bound to change with Ichigo's growth and as a Zanpakuto, Zangetsu couldn't wait to see what it would turn into.

Ichigo must have concluded that the far-off building was not a threat for he turned to Zangetsu and jumped in his arms, hugging the life out of him, a pleasant surprise for the Zanpakuto, nonetheless, a welcomed one.

It was hard to believe the boy in his hands was the same one from minutes ago. Ichigo had gone from terrified to cheerful in no time at all. As it dawned on him, Zangetsu realized that Ichi was used to the mood swings. Not only because he was a baby, but most likely because the boy often had nightmares. If memories were invading the child's dreams-cape, it was a matter of days before they would occupy his mind, followed by haunting him in everyday activities.

Zangetsu had known for a while that there was something upsetting Ichigo. Since the notion changed often, he had made the fatal mistake of disregarding it for common occurrences. Now, he felt otherwise. What if all the times Ichigo had felt upset, had been linked to the images of his previous life? With everything that had happened. Zangetsu didn't want for that to happen again.

Taking a page from the adults' chapter, Zangetsu strongly believed it would be better to somehow seal their previous life away. No matter how good he could lock those memories away, in time, they would resurface. There was no such thing as a seal that could work for eternity… If he was to do this, memories of their past wouldn't affect Ichigo's life until something triggered them out of the cage. Should that happen, the torrent of recollection would attack Ichi's mind and soul bring him to the brink of madness or worse…

On the other hand, it would let Ichigo sleep better at night, memories and flashbacks wouldn't force him to turn into a lunatic for seeing the horrendous clips over and over again, especially at such a tender age… Most of all, if he did things properly, he could ease the unsealing. Instead of letting it all out at once, he could release the bonds piece by piece. It would take a lot of energy and patience, but heck, it wasn't like he had anything to do here, besides play and comfort his owner.

At the end of the day, once he got his Vasto Lorde form, he would have the possibility to explain things properly. He could teach and prepare Ichigo for the inevitable pain the images would bring. Better yet, it will help in strengthening their bond and trust. The downside was the fact that it would use a big chunk of Reiatsu, consequently, he may end up asleep for a couple of years without the possibility to watch over Ichigo. Not the best deal, but it was a safer route.

Compared to what people normally do, Zangetsu planned to tell Ichi the truth right away and inform him of what he was about to do. Ichigo would still have the option to decline or refuse. But, let's face it, the child will probably be happy to get rid of the terrible stuff. As an added bonus, by asking permission, a part of Ichigo will always be careful while another will forevermore know that the act was done for the boy's own good. As he grows, Ichigo will ask about this and, once awake, Zangetsu will have no remorse to carefully clue him in.

It was the best solution Zangetsu could come up with. Hopefully, it would work as well as he imagined. Decision made, Zangetsu sat on the grass, putting Ichigo on his lap. The boy must have sensed something is the little frown on his face was an indicator. Repressing a chuckle at the boy's attitude, Zangetsu tried to mentally communicate with the child. He couldn't voice much, but given his latest transformation, he should be able to use their mental link.

"Ichi, can you hear me?"

The startled reaction was proof enough for the Zanpakuto. Ichigo was, naturally, confused as to where the voice came from and this time Zangetsu couldn't contain his snickers.

"I'm right here holding you. Surprised to hear my voice, eh? Hehe…"

Awe sparked in brown eyes and a smile stretched across a chubby face.

"Zan-kun…? You…talk? But no mouth?"

Giggling at the reaction, Zangetsu went to clear the confusion that was slowly forming on his wielder's features.

"It's because I don't use my lips to chat. You see, we're special and we can hear each other. Remember when I was resting yesterday and you told me I was the best? It's the same way. Only, this time you can hear my words and not only rumbles."

The explanation did wonders and Ichigo nearly jumped in joy.

"That's cool! Want to play in the room? I'll bring toys and food?"

Zangetsu felt bad at having to decline.

"Sorry, can't to that…"

At his words, Ichigo's excitement turned to sadness.

"Why?"

It was hard for Zangetsu to stay composed, but he had decided, thus, he pushed himself forth.

"You see… yesterday I used a lot of energy to chase the evil monster away. I'm very tired and won't be coming out for a long time."

As if something struck Ichigo, the little boy started wiggling and looking all over Zangetsu's body.

"You hurt?"

Zangetsu was moved by Ichigo's concern. Leave it to the boy to worry about everything and everyone around. Caressing his soft locks, Zangetsu laughed quietly before answering.

"Hehe. No, I'm fine, just need to stay here and rest. It will take more than one scary monster to hurt me. But let me ask you this. Tell me Ichi, how often do you have bad dreams like today?"

Ichigo seemed sheepish and reluctant to ask until finally, he barely responded.

"Um… a lot?"

Getting down to the point, Zangetsu tried to persuade the perturbed child.

"If you want, I can make it so those dreams don't come again. Can't promise all nightmares will be gone, but at least some of them. Would you like that?"

Ichigo appeared to contemplate the offer until something occurred to the boy and he confusedly asked.

"Um… but Zan-kun no energy?"

"True. I don't have a lot, but I can do this much for you. Just know that if I do this, I will probably sleep for a very long time."

"No! Then, no! I love Zan-kun… Zan-kun is friend, my best friend!"

Ichigo's words were not lost to the Zanpakuto. It was hard to deny the boy and coerce him into agreeing when he used his adorable 'stubborn' look. Moved by the child's honest emotions, Zangetsu continued in a hushed tone.

"Thanks, Ichigo. I love you too. That's why I want to do this for you. Friends help each other. Besides, I'll still be here. True, it will take me a while to wake-up, but I'm not going anywhere. Whenever you need something or my presence, I'll be here to comfort you. I may be asleep, but you can play with my hair and tail, just be careful of the nails, they're sharp."

Ichigo gazed deeply into the gold and black eyes of his companion. Even at his age, he could tell the big spirit wanted to do this, even though the ghostly figure didn't want to leave Ichigo's side.

"Zan-kun want long sleep?"

The question had been uttered carefully as if the boy was afraid of its answer. True to his wielder's sadness, rainy clouds obscured the sky and even though the weather indicated a storm was on the way, not a single drop fell from the heavens.

"I'll need it. But I promise it won't take too long. At most a few years and, who knows, by then you'll probably know how to read and write, you'll make new friends and you'll be able to tell me all about them.

Somehow, the reassurance was exactly what the boy needed. A guarantee that he wasn't being abandoned. His friend just needed rest… a prolonged one at that. The idea that it would take years, was chilling and he had the feeling that it would last forever… but if it would make Zan-kun better… Ichigo would let it be.

"Ok."

That was the last thing said on the matter. The Zanpakuto was well aware that his Ichi wasn't very happy. After all, the weather said it all. But in the whole reluctance, there was a dose of acceptance tightly wrapped with high hopes. No other sound needed to be exchanged. Ichigo closed his eyes and let their fate in Zangetsu's hands, a brave and touching gesture not many Zanpakuto could brag about sharing with their masters.

Zangetsu embraced Ichigo all that tighter and worked on altering the existent seals. He'd use the power from those bonds as well as his own Reiatsu to block old memories from harming Ichigo. Since they would be locked using his energy, he would be the sole being capable to take them away. Even better, since the seal on Ichigo's power would erode in time due to the child's Reiatsu, it would help him remove the additional ones on Ichigo's memories at his own pace. There would be no fear or probabilities of them breaking free unless he allowed it.

A golden light illuminated the Inner World for a few moments. Just as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone, leaving one boy holding a deeply slumbering Hollow. Even asleep, the mighty beast took care of its wielder. The resting body should have hit the ground, but instead stood in the same position. The difference was the deep breaths and closed eyes that wouldn't wake.

Ichigo blinked his eyes open and was met with the scene. Although he was very sad that his friend wouldn't play with him, he felt a little at ease knowing the gentle giant will always be with him. Looking up at the sky, he saw the mean clouds and that's when something else occurred to him. In case of rain, his friend would be soaked and Ichigo's mommy said wet clothes can make one… not well.

As a child, he slightly panicked! He had to build a shelter before the rain started! Just as he was imagining the various contraptions he either saw on the TV or in the colorful books his mom would occasionally read, an amazing thing happened.

An energy cocoon engulfed the white mass as well as Ichigo. The two then disappeared in a flash of light, only to reappear in a room very familiar to the boy. His own bedroom. Everything looked the same, except the bed… it was much bigger and closer to the window.

Ichigo didn't understand what happened but was glad nonetheless. Maybe Zan-kun brought them to his room so he could sleep on the comfortable bed? Sure enough, the kind beast was lying dormant on the bed, covered with a white sheet. Long white locks were tucked neatly under the covers as was the rest of the body and tail.

The whole picture warmed Ichigo's heart and, surprisingly to the boy, the sun shined through the window giving the whole atmosphere an otherworldly glow. Aware that he had to leave and spend time with his family, Ichigo prepared himself to depart. Not before climbing the bed and kissing Zan-kun on the cheek wishing him sweet dreams. It always made him sleep better when his mommy did the same, so he hoped it had a similar effect on his friend.

* * *

In recent weeks, Haschwalth was seen more often with the Regent or with certain Sternritters. Some Quincy believed the Grandmaster was simply _'sucking the Regent's ass'_ for unknown reasons or needs. Others were under the impression it was the other way around and the supposed acting monarch wanted the Grandmaster's approval or allegiance.

Be as it may, the Soldat were the most miserable bunch of Quincies in Wandenreich. The Sternritters could do as they pleased and often used them for their entertainment. Few Soldat ever resisted a Sternritter's call for the chance to rise above the rest and be given a higher rank.

In the old days, it was rumored Hubert had been such a case. A mere Soldat who rose to the highest imaginable level and became a close affiliate of the Emperor and Grandmaster. Motivated by the circumstances of an old era, many went with the flow, trained and worked diligently to achieve their goals.

The dis-balance of power, as well as the selfishness of their members, worried Haschwalth to no end. He could not recall a time when the Quincies had been less united than since Soren's arrival. The Regent had brought naught but destruction among their lines and was dealing in shady areas. Soren would often come and go, leaving none the wiser.

Fortunately, Haschwalth was a master tactician. Long before Soren came, he had made sure he'd be able to see every corner of the Wandenreich, for the purpose of keeping a keen eye on the underlings and their behavior. Therefore, he was privy to most things the other did.

Regretfully, even Haschwalth had not anticipated from the acting Monarch to create a different gate which allowed Soren to move easily between dimensions. As the contraption was made by the obnoxious man himself, Haschwalth had no access to it. Worst of all, he couldn't get a proper reading on the damned thing, which in turn, gave him no data on the locations the Regent frequented.

It was no wonder his Majesty had tasked him with the duty to infiltrate Soren's lines. However, due to Haschwalth's well-known allegiances to the King, it took a lot of time and effort to pretend he could be persuaded into changing sides.

Any sudden moves or deviations from his normal behavior would raise more than a few eyebrows, unmasking his role as a spy. Still to stay calm and collected when he knew Soren was plotting behind everyone's backs, was truly harder than anticipated.

Allowing himself to let out an exasperated breath, the Grandmaster filtered through the reading room. He was looking for a very specific book, but he couldn't find it. The Court Library was a room with rows upon rows of books, scrolls, tomes, and many other interesting artifacts. It was the only place in the entire Wandenreich he permitted himself a slip or two.

Honestly, he could do without Pepe's watchful eyes and futile efforts to bind him with 'The Love'. Bazzard took great pleasure in tormenting him by bringing up the accursed subject as often as he could. Luckily, the other hated books with a passion and wouldn't get close to this door with a ten-foot pole. It was funny, as it made him remember when people said the same about devils and holy places.

The two of them were polar opposites. Haschwalth was a tactician and a calculative warrior who took everything into account, using skills, knowledge, and anything else available without letting his intentions be known. Contrary to him, Bazzard was a hot-headed buffoon, who enjoyed mocking his adversaries and fighting whenever he was bored. There were no finesses in his attacks, no second thoughts or mind-games. He went with his moves and let the flow of battle carry him away.

From previous experiences, Haschwalth knew Bazzard was no fool and, when needed, the other could rise above his arrogant display and fuse his fighting style with Haschwalth's. That's why, in battle, they were a force to be reckoned with. None of the other Sternritter had as much teamwork or compatibility as the duo when the need arose.

Sighing once again, he let his disappointment sink in. The book he had been so interested in must be in the Royal Library, within the walls of the palace located in the World of the Living. It wasn't very important per se, but the story was intriguing and the codes inside were always fun to crack. With a title such as **"Deep Sea, High Land*"** you were bound to be fascinated. As the story progresses, you find yourself in a new place, far from your own, yet so very similar. The endless contrasts in abilities, characters, plots, and the many twists made him read it over and over again.

He must have read it at least a hundred times. The book called to him and, best of all, on every occasion he began to read it anew, he discovered a new secret. It was thanks to that book, he came out of his reclusive shell. Not to mention, the schemes and ever-changing situations gave him the motivation to become the Grandmaster. It certainly didn't help him the fact that Lady Serena had been the one to recommend it. He sure did owe the First Lady a lot.

Another reason why he was searching for the book, was because he wanted to check if there were any hidden codes the little Denka may have left for him. Knowing the young Prince, he would have used that book to give him a message. With how often the boy caught him immersed in the tale, it was no wonder they started playing games using the colorful covers.

During certain days, Haschwalth would assign the Heir with the duty to come up with new codes and encrypted messages. As time flew by, the two had developed a particular messaging system only they knew about. Denka would leave a Reiatsu concealed note within the pages of the book. If the novel was taken by anyone else besides Haschwalth, the non-affiliated page would remain invisible. Instructions on how to retrieve the mysterious note were inscribed with Reiatsu inside the front or back cover.

Since the book was often held by either Haschwalth or the Denka, many speculated what was special about the story, yet none were able to crack their detective-game. Thinking back, Soren did try to use it every once in a while. Back then, it didn't appear suspicious. It's not like he could have suspected or accused the Regent of conspiracy based on wanting to read a novel. In fact, Soren had been smart and was still a clever man one had to be careful around. Every single time Haschwalth caught him tinkering with the item, he left with the book stating he wanted to read it to Lady **Shiemi***.

Shiemi-san was the second daughter born from Masaki-sama and Soren. The little girl ended up having long dark brown hair styled in the same fashion as her mother, black eyes, tan skin, and a devilish personality. Was it because the name contained the kanji for death accompanied by the one for laughing or was there something even more sinister? An irrelevant thought, but one to consider from time to time.

From the day she was born, she became the apple of Soren's eyes, consequently, she turned to be the Kurosaki's little treasure and most beloved child. All her whims and desires were fulfilled to the fullest. It didn't take long for the girl to be spoiled rotten. Lady Masaki did her best in controlling the affection levels, as she wished to make a proper Lady out of her daughter, but, with Soren's influence, it was impossible. She was everything the Prince wasn't.

The Denka had been very proficient and talented. Among all Quincies, none had demonstrated a third of the potential the little prince had possessed. Denka had spent a lot of time and dedication into his studies, becoming the first Quincy to ever develop a **Sankt Altar*** strong enough to match the Emperor's. Not to mention, the surprisingly powerful **Blut Vene Anhaben*** which did surpass even the Monarch's in both durability and longevity.

When the boy later proved to all at the palace that he could sit on the throne and use **Kirchenlied: Sankt Zwinger*** for an extended amount of time, while allowing their arrows to go through the barrier damaging their opponents on the other side…well, it had been the proudest day of his life. At that point, no one could contradict the Prince's right as Heir to the Quincy Throne.

Rare were those who could train to the point of using their Blut properly and mentioned spells were ranked as the highest and most difficult to create, let alone practice in a real battle.

Compared to the boy, Lady Shiemi did not learn a single Quincy technique. She was more of a Shinigami, but without the powers which would accompany such a title. Since she was able to see spirits and had strong blood from both parents, it wasn't that she had no opportunity or talent, she simply refused to have anything to do with souls. She much preferred to be treated like a princess with no duties or responsibilities, something her father encouraged. On the other side, all Quincies and even the human servants loathed her actions.

Had it been just the shunning of her inheritance or disagreement with mingling in the affairs of the afterlife, none would have batted an eyelash. But she vehemently rejected to learn anything at all. At the end, when the King had been sealed and Lady Masaki perished due to a broken heart, the whole Empire fell completely to the ground. With no other leaders to rule over the mass, they had underneath them, the Kingdom was ruined. Lady Shiemi died from old age and unperturbed by much, thanks to Lady Akemi who took her under her household.

Akemi-sama was the daughter of Lady Katagiri and the first Ishida Lord. When it became apparent Masaki-sama would never have a pure-blooded Kurosaki to continue the lineage, Katagiri-sama took the burden upon her own shoulders. The first-born Lady Akemi, inherited the Kurosaki family name along with many treasures and a mansion of her own, while Lord Tatsuya got everything else that belonged to the Ishida's.

It was funny how fate played tricks on all of them. Lady Akemi, who was a Kurosaki by name and a true blood, was the one charged to continue the Kurosaki family line, while Lady Shiemi continued her existence under Akemi-sama's protection.

To be frank, Haschwalth had been taken by surprise when Akemi-sama stated she would care for her younger cousin. When they were young, the two disagreed very often and didn't have much patience for one another.

On another note, the two were lucky and lived in peace for the rest of their days. Though, Heika's disappearance, the deaths of Lady Masaki and the young Denka had affected Lady Akemi much more than Lady Shiemi.

Haschwalth could recall vividly the love and fascination Akemi-sama held for her older cousin. Hence, it wasn't surprising she felt remorse at his untimely death. What did disturb Haschwalth, was her desire to remain in the World of the Living. Naturally, both Ladies were given an invitation to enter the Wandenreich and live eternally until Heika was released.

Lady Shiemi had wanted to join but was smarter than to jump head-first. She was aware that without her father's influence nor the King's protective hand, the Sternritter were free to do as they pleased. Having never gained their trust nor benevolence, she was stuck with the sole family whom could stand her annoying presence.

The question now was, why did Lady Akemi decline the summons? The only thing she ever said, was that she had a job to do. At first, Haschwalth believed it was her duty to continue the bloodline… Now, though, he wasn't sure that was all to it. That's why he spent all his free time in the reading room. He was searching for clues or any other indications that may have slipped his mind or watchful eyes.

Why did he not consider the probability that Denka might have left him one last note before now? Why didn't he go back to the Royal Palace at least once since the downfall? Why did Denka leave a journal to Shirosaki Ichirou, but left no traces for Haschwalth to follow? Could it be…? Had he been blinded by sorrow all these years? It was plausible and a big mistake unseemly for his status and position.

Haschwalth knew that the only way he could amend the fatal error was to find whatever may have been left in his care without his knowledge. If he remembered correctly, Denka had come a few times to the Wandenreich during its creation along with his Majesty. With that in mind, Haschwalth had discretely searched every nook and cranny he could get away with, both inside and outside the castle. Having found nothing, his sole hope was to locate their old 'communication' device… the book.

Exhaling for the umpteenth time that day, he worried that he wouldn't find the lovely novel. For all he knew, it was likely the unfortunate book was accumulating dust in the Royal Library along with the rest of the manuscripts, novels, and Lores of Old. If that was the case, he'd never get his hands on it, not as long as Soren was Regent. Really, Haschwalth couldn't blame anyone for his mistake. He should have investigated sooner.

He was ready to call it a day and resume the task another time when something caught his attention. An unusual aura was emanating from one of the novels at the farthest left corner of the bookshelf. Haschwalth was very tempted to trace the covers with his fingers but paused. He was not alone in the room. Judging from the faint traces of energy, he was guessing it was Pepe's peeping eye.

Pulling out a random novel nearby, he feigns a content smile. He had taken out the title **'El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha'*** , a Spanish novel he cherished. Due to his cold demeanor and 'no-nonsense' attitude, rare were those privy to the fact he liked comedies over any other form of literature. If nothing else, this book will serve to lighten his heart before sleep and clear him form any suspicions as to what he had been searching for so long in the reading room.

Haschwalth had always been fond of literature and his love for books had pushed him to send someone to the World of the Living whenever there was a new story published. Occasionally, before Soren came over, he himself would meet the authors and request a handwritten copy. Because of that, he kept up-to-date with the many languages and changes of the same throughout human history. It was much more entertaining than the monotone flow in Soul Society and the utter lack of interest in Wandenreich.

Pretending that everything was right in the world and acting as if he had not realized he was being spied on, Haschwalth left the Court Library with deliberate and sure steps, as if his goal had been accomplished. It would take him a few days to go through the novel and once done, he'd have the opportunity to return and 'look' for yet another 'story' to pass the time.

In other circumstances, he'd stay inside and read on one of the comfortable couches, but he had no intentions of being disturbed by the irksome eye. It would leave a bad taste and make the story dull as his concentration would be mostly focused on acting, rather than the book itself. Fully aware the eye was following right behind, Haschwalth made way to his chambers, where he was hoping to have a bit of peace and quiet.

Alas, his quest for tranquility was interrupted by the ringing of the 'regular' communicator concealed within his long cape. Based on the specific tone, he knew it was a call from Soren. Taking the device, he used his typical monotone voice to present himself. As per usual, he was asked to meet the other in the Throne room.

Even though everything seemed like a regular summon, this time, he felt it was different. There were no indications to prove him wrong, but something told him he may finally step-up his game and go deeper into his undercover than ever before. If his hunch was correct, he would soon breach the impenetrable shell and mystery surrounding Soren. With even more confidence and hope than before, Haschwalth turned around and went to meet the Regent.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism._

 _ **Reminders**_ _: English is still not my mother language. If I made a mistake along the way, please let me know. Sorry for repeating the same parts all over again xD_

 ***Deep Sea, High Land*** – it's the title of the book I'm working on… Hehe, sorry, had to put it here as a present to all of you. Had it not been for your continuous support and marvelous reviews, I wouldn't have reached this far, let alone started working on my very own book serial. Thank you all for reading and inspiring me so much :D

 ***Sankt Altar*** – a technique we've seen the Quincy King used. Summoning five orbs of Reishi above his fingers, Juhabach (Yhwach) transports them above his opponent. Each orb fires a beam of energy at the adversary, creating a large Quincy Zeichen (symbol) with the target in the middle. This attack is supposed to steal power from the target to give to the Emperor himself.

 ***Blut Vene Anhaben*** – one more technique we saw Juhabach use. Basically, it extends his Blut Vene outside of his body to create a force-field that blocks incoming attacks. It can easily block Kidō spells, noted when it didn't even flicker by a Bakudo 62. The technique also consumes everything around it in order to maintain itself, even living material. When activated it creates a 360° light-blue transparent dome with white veins on the surface of whatever it attempts to devour. It can feed of air or anything else that has even a sliver of energy. So cool xD

 ***Kirchenlied: Sankt Zwinger*** – yet another Quincy technique only the Emperor used. Well, him and Royd Lloyd while impersonating Juhabach. It's considered the single greatest protective Quincy magic with both offensive and defensive properties. By generating a number of roman numeral-inscribed constructs from the fingers of an outstretched hand, several towering columns of Reishi, shaped like a Quincy Cross, erupt upwards in a circular formation around the practitioner. Anyone who steps foot within the confines of this area will be immediately rent asunder where they stand by the _'Light of God'_. I bet Juhabach can make a better version of this thingy. Since it has defense and offense properties, I have the feeling we didn't see it to its full potential. Then again, we only saw it once in the manga when Royd Lloyd pretended to be the Emperor, so who knows… x3

 ***Shiemi*** – a Japanese name for girls. In normal instances, it has nice meanings. However, by now, I'm sure you are very familiar with my darker side… Hence, for the sake of this story, I combined the kanji for death and laugh in her name. What can I say… I'm evil this way xD

Nonetheless, there is meaning behind my madness and in time more will be revealed (besides my personal dislike for this particular name. Don't ask me why, as I have no idea why I'm not fond of it).

 ***The Ingenious Nobleman Sir Quixote of La Mancha*** or just Don Quixote – is a Spanish novel written by _**Miguel de Cervantes**_. The story was published in two parts in 1605 and 1615 and is considered the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age as well as the entire Spanish literary canon. As a founding work of modern Western literature and the earliest canonical novel, it regularly appears high on lists of the greatest works of fiction ever published. Hope someday my novel will be on such lists as well xD

 _Until next time, enjoy! :D_


	38. Chapter 38

_Hello!_

 _I'm back with Chapter XXXVIII in tow!_

 _Disclaimer, reminder, and warnings_ _, all as per usual:_

 ** _Friendly reminder_** _: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. **For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea** :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please go on :D_

 ** _Disclaimer_** _: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc._

 ** _WARNINGS_** _: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime! Somewhere along the way might contain, but is not limited to include: dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual content, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age readers. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3_

Hi everyone!

God it's been ages since my last update… sorry for that. I'd need a book or two just to explain all that's been going on in my life, but that would be boring, so I'll skip the unnecessary rant.

Here goes Chapter 38!

* * *

 _Chapter XXXVIII_

* * *

Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni… a name which instills both fear and respect in the hearts of souls living in the afterlife. "The Sōtaichō" an old and powerful title meant to discourage anyone from wishing harm upon Soul Society. To sum it up, it belongs to the man who has been in charge of the Gotei 13 since its foundations… the same person who build the Shinigami Academy, placed its standards, gave birth to Seireitei, the purpose behind the Rukongai and fought its way in numerous battles.

Many lived under the impression the elderly Shinigami leader was invincible, astute beyond words and unstoppable… Which, in all honesty, wasn't far from the truth. After all, rare were those who could brag to have been defeated only twice in a lifetime, let alone when that one life spanned over two thousand years.

And yet, watching the fragile looking male sitting comfortably in his office doing paperwork, would make one wonder if the rumors and stories surrounding the ancient Shinigami were true. That is, until the man opened his wrinkled wine-red eyes, releasing a fraction of the terrifying power hidden within the aged body… a mighty Reiatsu, caged and contained could be felt in those instants, one which screamed to be set free to lay waste onto the worlds or upon a worthy opponent.

A knock on wooden double doors made the Sōtaichō put a pause to his current work. Truth be told, the man had been anxiously waiting for an excuse to take a break from the atrocious job of cross-checking and adjusting the monthly report from the Eleventh Squad. He really should consider appointing one of his own crew to the Eleventh, if nothing else, just to have the bureaucratic aspect of the job completed correctly and in a timely manner.

Shaking his thoughts, he grunted a semi-pleasant: "Come in."

As the doors opened, the air all around seemed to pause. A young man took sure and steady steps towards the Sōtaichō's desk, unperturbed and with all the grace of a predator admiring its future prey. Blue eyes flicked with concealed amusement, fury, curiosity and a myriad of other emotions, until they too took a standstill, becoming darker and frighteningly impassive.

 _"Those are not the eyes of a young Shinigami, much less of an unseated officer. No. There is wisdom in those orbs beyond the boy's physical appearance. His stance is one born from years spent in blood, sweat and leadership experience. I was right to question this child's posture and sudden arrival in the Sixth Division. The only question left is: who is he?"_

The Sōtaichō's train of thoughts was interrupted when the youngster politely bowed and greeted in a calm and tender voice: "Good afternoon Sōtaichō-dono. Here are the reports you requested from Kuchiki-Taichou."

Yamamoto closely watched every movement, every twitch in the other's body. The paperwork was smoothly and neatly placed on his desk. It was perfection. And yet, there was nothing, absolutely nothing he could sense from the boy. Besides the fact that the youngling was not intimidated nor afraid of being in his presence. Where other Shinigami would tremble and show a healthy doze of concern, this child dared to look composed and utterly at ease. It was as if the youngster was an equal in both position and power instead of a mere delivery boy.

 _"Confidence or arrogance?"_ wondered the Sōtaichō, while observing the documents laid on his table. _"It's been ages since anyone other than Jushiro or Shunsui showed such lack of fear in front of me. Not even Unohana comes strolling this casually as she comes with her tangible blood-lust, hidden from most, but not from my eyes."_

"As expected of Kuchiki-Taichou." Suddenly exclaimed Yamamoto. "Even on a short notice, he was able to pull this much data. Tell me, boy, did Kuchiki-Taichou gather everything on his own or did he have assistance?"

"Since I was present when the hell-butterfly arrived, I offered my aid.", was the youngster's immediate response.

"Oh? He actually let you help?" That was new. Since when does Kuchiki-Taichou allow anyone inside his family collection? Some of the scrolls and manuscripts within the Kuchiki library are even more important than certain sections of the Daireishokairō, especially since the Kuchiki's oversee the compilation and protection of Soul Society's history. Even so, he allowed an unseated _kid_ to collect information pertaining to a war?

"Yes sir."

The coolness in the boy's tone would have made him bristle several centuries ago. Alas, Yamamoto had long ago learned not to fall prey to his own temper. He was obviously not going to get any leads from the infant. At least, not the conventional way. He'd have to poke and prod in the old fashion way by pushing buttons and limits.

 _"This day may turn fun after all."_ , happily thought the Eldest Shinigami alive.

"Sasakibe-san, would you be so kind as to prepare some tea and snacks for us? I want to immediately go through the data Kuchiki-Taichou provided and have them returned via his messenger.", Looking smugly at the _"child"_ in the room, he arrogantly added: "Of course, I'll send a Hell Butterfly to your Taichou to reassure him his little assistant is spending time with me. We wouldn't want him to think you ran while on duty, would we?"

From the balcony overlooking Seireitei, Sasakibe Fuku-taichou entered the room, bowed once and quickly left. Every single movement of the loyal subordinate had been meticulous and so quiet that it would put to shame even members of the infamous Onmitsukidō. As the double doors closed, the youngster made a small bow of his head, addressing the elder Shinigami with controlled respect. A reverence which Yamamoto felt was as fake as the child's monotone voice.

"How very kind of you Sōtaichō-dono. I thank you for your consideration. Though, rest assured, Kuchiki-Taichou already requested I return only when you finished inspecting those documents." Lifting his head, the boy's lips too quirked in a barely visible sneer while adding: "They do hold valuable information which shouldn't fall into wrong hands."

The ease in which the boy stood his ground, spoke volumes to Yamamoto.

 _"He knows what I requested from Kuchiki Byakuya."_ Thought the ancient Shinigami. _"He knows and is trying to show me he doesn't care. He is challenging me while displaying disinterest. How remarkable. It is no wonder Kuchiki mentioned him a few times and has come to hold the boy in high regards"_

"Indeed, what's written in these papers should be on a _'Need to know'_ basis." Emphasized Yamamoto. "Which is precisely why I am surprised Kuchiki-Taichou allowed anyone near them in the first place."

"Sometimes need and necessity make us do things we normally wouldn't even consider." Wisely said the youngster. "I was available and at hand at the appropriate time. It is only natural to make myself useful to my superior. Wouldn't you agree Sōtaichō-dono?"

There was an unwavering confidence radiating from those blue eyes and Yamamoto couldn't but find them fascinating. They reminded him so very much of someone from old times. A child from the Living World… the first soul ever to defeat him in combat. True, the fight ended up in a draw, since both parties left injured and alive. But to Yamamoto that had been the first taste of true failure. He had been both ecstatic and downright murderous at not having killed a kid who was protecting a village Yamamoto had wished to obliterate.

Those eyes reminded him of his first enemy and the first person to leave a scar upon his body. Never had anyone been able to leave a scratch on Yamamoto much less draw blood. Even now he could see it as clearly as if it had happened only minutes ago.

 _He could taste it… the red liquid flowing from his head wound and the tired yet satisfied expression of the boy. Both a novelty to the once unbeatable Yamamoto. He should have ended the insolent's life there and then, but, for some reason, he didn't want to… It had been the most fun he had had in a fight… the most thrilling… the most satisfying._

 _Hence, he left the battle between the two unfinished, something he had never done before. His fights tended to be swift, leaving naught but ashes from deceased opponents and a chunk of barren landscape. And there he had been, cut by a kid with reddish-brown eyes full of fire and passion. So similar, yet so different from Ryūjin Jakka's flames._

Thinking back, he truly had been a monster like no other… Hell, Hollows were thought of as mere kittens when set side by side with a man such as himself and his old cruel habits. Those were dark times. It was the age when lunatics, like Yamamoto, ruled over the weak and took everything for granted.

Here he was, once again dared by a mere kid and before he was consciously aware, Yamamoto opened his eyes staring the other down.

Instead of collapsing from the sudden increase of Reiatsu, the boy impassively continued to stare at the Sōtaichō as if nothing was happening, leaving Yamamoto once again astonished.

 _"Only seasoned Taichou's should be able to withstand this level of Reiatsu. So, why is this youngling standing unruffled?"_

"Is this how you intimidate your officers, Yamamoto?" slowly asked the impertinent boy. "By opening your eyes and glancing at the unfortunate individual till he or she burns from the inside-out? Well, news flash, it doesn't work on everyone. Though, I'm sure you received a report about me from Kuchiki-Taichou."

Having finished his little speech, the insolent boy started to move towards the Sōtaichō's desk as if it was the most normal thing to do.

"Tell me," continued the child: "is that why you requested from Taichou to dig so far into the past? Should Soul Society and all the unfortunate souls living here worry that the **Ash Daemon*** is back after a millennium of peace? Or is this just light reading material to the likes of you?"

At this point, the desk and a hefty pile of paperwork were the only objects standing between the two males. Though, both were aware that it would disintegrate the instant either one unsheathed their blade. With all the audacity of a child in front of a wolf, the younger placed both hands on the desk, leaning down till lips whispered into Yamamoto's ear.

"Pray tell, which is it Sōtaichō- _dono_."

Unperturbed, Yamamoto continued to stare into those blue orbs. Searching… wondering…

 _"It's been so long since anyone referred to me as 'The Ash Daemon'. When was the last time I felt my blood boil? Why do I have this blazing need to reduce him to cinders? Just who is Hino Tomoya?"_

Raising to the bait, just as silently as the last question had been made, Yamamoto inquired: "What is it to you, _boy_?"

With deliberate moves, Hino Tomoya raised his head to stare the Sōtaichō face-to-face. He then gave a small smile and simply answered.

"Nothing. Naught but childish curiosity. You did request for a rather _interesting_ material which would make anyone wonder what you were up to. It is even more suspicious to those who know or have access to your past records. With Kuchiki-Taichou being the Head of the Kuchiki Clan and the sole living soul in Seireitei to have access to your records, is it really so far-fetched that he would show a desire to know the reason behind your unusual demand?"

Moving a few steps backwards, but never breaking eye contact, Hino Tomoya continued: "As for my involvement… let's just say it was a lucky coincidence… or unfortunate, depending on how you take it, Sōtaichō-dono."

Taking a good look at the youngling in front of him, Yamamoto started to go through a mental list of people: enemies, allies and everything in between. He was searching for something to click in place, a reason which could potentially connect this man with his greatest nemesis. There was no doubt that this unusual Shinigami he had heard so much about from Kuchiki-Taichou, was somehow connected to the Quincy. This realization brought many unanswered questions. But the most prominent was: How?

Upon their deaths, Quincy didn't go to Soul Society… as far as he had been able to see. All Quincies, he had observed, went straight for the re-birthing process. Either that or they simply vanished from existence. There had been exceptions… in times of old… were Quincies disappeared and reappear at random as humans without powers or memories of their past lives. Those were also the few Quincies who wound up in Soul Society as normal souls only to live, die and be born in the Living World as all human souls do.

So, was it at all possible that a Quincy… a descendant from **_that man_** was standing in his office? If so, wouldn't it be more natural for the boy to attempt an assassination? Especially, if this child was truly related to the Emperor? Surely, Yamamoto's sin must be well known among Quincy lore…

"I see. Am I to presume your presence here, in Soul Society, is just a fluke? Even souls living in the worst regions of Rukongai have a certain history to them. There are reports of where and when they lived before passing on, whom performed Konso and so on. For you and your partner, besides a minor document of being from Kusajishi, there is no other lead. As if you came to be out of thin air."

Yamamoto's words made sense and it shouldn't have come as a surprise that Soul Society kept files upon files on its residents. Even so, Hino Tomoya had an appropriate counter-line: "Is it really improbable that tracks of low-life scoundrels are not kept as meticulously as those of regular residents from districts forty and above?"

Taking the words into consideration, Yamamoto mulled the information over, until he finally agreed: "Perhaps, that might be true. Not much is kept form individuals living beyond district fifty. Even so, I am positive there should be more solid leads, especially considering both of your skills. A rumor or a tale which would prove your existence before arriving at the Academy."

Smiling softly, Hino added: "What can I say, Akira and I are not trouble-making material. We've kept to ourselves and avoided contact with other beings for the longest of times. We only decided to enroll once we felt it was more convenient. Besides, it's not like we came to turn Soul Society asunder. Had that been our intention, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Yamamoto could see it in the other's eyes, in the sure stance and the deadly calmness radiating of the youth that every single syllable had been true. Had they wished to destroy Soul Society, nothing would stop them from trying and would most likely put a devastating dent in their forces. Which prompted his next question: "Then what is your purpose?"

Shrugging lightly, the child steadily answered: "We have our reasons. One of them is to atone for a mistake… a sin from the past we both carry on our shoulders." Following these words, the boy took a deep breath and closed his eyes, as if in respect to whatever haunted his conscience. Soon, though, the child resumed as if nothing happened: "The other one is to prevent the death of one Kuchiki-Taichou. And, finally, to unravel a traitor among your lines. Yet, no matter how cautious or meticulous we are in our search, we can't find solid evidence on the latter."

Silence momentarily befell the room and its two occupants, a true testament to the heaviness of their conversation.

Gradually, Yamamoto broke the standstill: "A traitor you say?", wondered the Sōtaichō aloud: "Such big words coming from a Quincy descendant."

The last sentence was meant to both confirm his suspicion and be slightly offending. Yet, it lacked a certain edge to make it poisonous to anyone whom knew the ancient Shinigami. Judging by the lack of reaction from the youngster, the boy too was aware it was meant more as a test rather than an insult. Casually, as if chatting about the weather, Hino proceeded.

"Is that why you wanted those papers? You want to find out if Akira and I are somehow connected to that old race Central 46 obliterated nearly two-hundred years ago? Or are you searching for something from further back? From nearly a millennium ago?"

Not expecting an answer to his queries, the boy continued: "Search as you might, you won't find anything. Honestly, you could have asked. We might have skipped all this unnecessary foreplay."

Seeing an eyebrow twitch, Hino decided to put the other out of his misery, at least partially: "Before you make any assumptions, let me make perfectly clear that two more Taichou's are aware of our goal: to uncover and stop a conspirator in the making… An impostor with a God complex."

Not wanting to let go of his hold on the older male, Hino pushed further, wanting to make sure his point came across.

"As mentioned before, another reason for our stay, is to protect Kuchiki-Taichou. By now, I'm sure you must have heard about him being targeted by an unknown group. Our job is to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Keep Kuchiki-Taichou safe, while gathering data and evidence of an even greater threat, one which could bring Soul Society to its knees."

His words must have finally hit home, for the Sōtaichō quietly inquired: "Who is the traitor?"

Exhaling dejectedly, Hino honestly responded: "Without proper evidence, it is pointless to mention any names, don't you think? If we were to spread this information, the perpetrator could go into hiding, change his plan of action, or do some other unexpected move which would end up badly for everyone involved. All I can say is this: you would never expect it from this person. On a bright note, your pupils are not involved, besides being partially aware of our situation."

Nodding slowly, the Sōtaichō took the whole conversation to memory and heart. Though, there was one last question he wanted answered before he made any final decisions or plans.

"You would like me to believe you are not here to extract vengeance for the destruction of the Quincy bloodline?", asked Yamamoto in a monotone voice: "No wish to annihilate me for bringing an end to the first war? Are you saying there are no relatives you wish to avenge? Don't try to say you have absolutely no intentions of raising your sword against my person, for only an infant would believe such lies."

The sudden sadness in blue eyes as well as a turn of the head, was the sign Yamamoto waited. He knew, he hit a spot right there and then. Preparing for a confrontation, the Sōtaichō raised his cane from his lap onto the table, ready to withdraw his Zanpakuto at a moment's notice.

"You are absolutely right." Said the boy, raising his head towards the ceiling. "That is precisely why I have no intention of saying such a thing."

Shocked out of his mind, Yamamoto could do nothing but stare at the youth. The Sōtaichō was waiting for a sign, a twitch of a muscle which he could use to render the youth into cinders.

"You are correct." Repeated the child, this time facing the man opposite him head-on: "What you did… I'm sure you are aware which is your greatest crime… No. I am not talking about your hand in sealing the Quincy King nor the Downfall or End of the First War. You were just a participant, but not the true mastermind. No. What have in mind is something far worse. I am talking about the time when you raised your hand against an unarmed opponent, shot the ill-fated soul, quite literally, in the back and left the poor body for dead."

The seconds those words left the boy's lips, Hino Tomoya ceased to exist, accept for his outer appearance. In his stead, the argument was spoken with all the force and sentiments of Kurosaki Juhabach. And though, Juhabach had no intentions of revealing his true identity, he had a need to know why Yamamoto had done what he did all those centuries ago. At that moment, he was not an Emperor, nor a master swordsman, he was a grandfather.

"I could care less for all the misconducts and offences you had prior to that incident or after. But, killing a defenseless and harmless youth in cold blood from the back… that must have been the most sickening, most revolting felony you committed in your long life. So, yes, I cannot say that the idea of cutting you never crossed my mind."

Even with Ryūjin Jakka at his side, Yamamoto could have sworn the room temperature fell by a few degrees. The venom, hurt and conviction were tangible and spoke of someone whom had seen a horrific scene first hand instead of a soul having been told of a crime he may have committed. Thinking far back, Yamamoto was trying to figure out exactly when he raised a hand against an unarmed opponent. And then… it started to come back…

"But I'm not here to judge you," continued Hino: "Nor will I be the one to take your life for that offence. And you know why? Probably not, so I'll say it out loud… No matter how disgraceful of a move that had been, not to mention, the damage you caused to that unfortunate individual… he survived."

For the first time in a while Yamamoto opened both eyes from shock. He remembered clearly… The old 'Still Forming' Central along with several members of the Noble Clans set Yamamoto onto the Quincy King, forced the Emperor away from his troops and started the sealing technique. At one point during the 'Proceeding' a boy, probably no older than twenty, came between the spell, the Shinigami and the Quincy Emperor.

He remembered chocolate-brown eyes pleading them to refrain from sealing the King… something about everything being a deception or the like. Obviously, the Central of the time along with the Nobles refused to listen. Yamamoto himself, neglected to hear the boy out. He had been much more upset that his greatest rival was being sealed without having a chance to destroy him himself.

Having realized it was a lost cause, the impudent male defied them by grabbing a hold of the Emperor and not letting go. What did the kid say again? Ah, yes: _"If you, the commanding order of Soul Society, can choose to blindly seal an innocent man, then you shouldn't have any issues with condemning me as well."_

Obviously, the kid had had no idea how Kido worked. Yamamoto had thought it weird, since the boy had been dressed in Shinigami garbs. Naturally, chaos ensured, and Yamamoto was ordered to remove the pest enough to complete the ritual. Having no wish to fight nor any inclination towards removing the boy forcefully, Yamamoto had shot him in the back with several medium level spells. When the kid refused to bulge even then, Yamamoto used a Hado 88… The destructive force did its job… the kid had a hole in the back from the lower back all the way to the first few ribs.

Messy but efficient. With a broken spine the male was unable to continue holding the Emperor. If memory served, the kid fell to the ground, barely breathing and bleeding all over the place. Once the seal had been placed and the area cleansed, Yamamoto recalled the heart-wrenching scream and cries. But, even those desperate sounds softened, until the boy became completely still.

With such a wound and lack of detectable Reiatsu, they all thought the child passed away. Could it be they were wrong? Did they truly prolong the kid's suffering till he spoke to someone? Why did Hino Tomoya know something like that? Was he there? No! Yamamoto was certain this youngster had not been there. Then… How? His trip down Memory Lane was interrupted by Hino's interference.

"Your face says you can't believe it. Well, it's true. The boy you nearly killed survived that attack, not only that… but he… he never accused you nor did he hold any grudge against you for doing that."

 _"How many times am I going to be left speechless by an infant today?"_ , wondered the Sōtaichō. _"Does this mean, the kid actually lived not only to tell the tale but to have an offspring as well? Could Hino Tomoya be a descendant from that boy instead of a Quincy? So far, he never confirmed to be one. His Reiatsu too doesn't scream 'Quincy' as it should."_

Looking deeply into blue eyes, Yamamoto tried to connect the meddling Shinigami from the past with this spirited youth.

 _"Hm… There is hardly any resemblance between them. Though, it would explain why Hino has such intel in past events. It would also explain his presence in Soul Society. If he is a Shinigami descendant, then Seireitei is his legitimate home. This would also explain the lack of data, since it is likely his family had lived in hiding in the lower districts of Rukongai. If the kid back then survived and ended up having a family, this would have been the wisest move. I do recall both the Central and Nobles had been livid with that Shinigami's intrusion. Had he been discovered, he would have been eliminated along with his whole family. No wonder they cleaned their traces. I would have done the same too."_

A new staring contest began between the two. One was overthinking, while the other wondered just what kind of conclusion the Sōtaichō reached. Having been alive for as long as he had, Ossan disguised as Hino Tomoya could only guess what his former enemy was thinking. Nevertheless, he wanted to see if Yamamoto ever regretted using such a high scale technique on an unarmed man. In all the centuries passed, he couldn't let this opportunity slip. Pushing a little further, he hopped he would finally crack the Sōtaichō's indifferent mask.

"Regardless of my own disgust whenever I see your face, in memory of that brave and untainted soul, I can't find in me the will to taint his past courage and purity with your blood. Though, it is my wish to know if his efforts in making sure no one would critic you were justified."

Ossan knew he was going a bit far. It was, after all, a very bold request. Shinigami were disciplined for far less. And yet, he wanted to know if Ichigo had been right when he said the older man regretted the act.

Seconds stretched, and neither spoke or moved. Slumping his shoulders, Ossan was ready to accept he would never figure the mystery out, when the Sōtaichō softly spoke.

"For what it's worth, I would like for you and your family to know this little detail… In respect of the displayed courage and struggle demonstrated by that young man, I've never used that Kido since. It was the only way I had at my disposal back then and even nowadays to pay my respect to an opponent I did not confront head on. I thank you for reminding me why I refuse to use that Hado in combat."

Surprised by the Sōtaichō's words, _"Hino"_ couldn't repress a small smile from forming on his face. It was nice to know that the imposing and fearsome Ash Daemon possessed a heart and soul buried underneath all the heat and muscled body.

"Thank you 'Eijisai-san', though it is 'Genryūsai' these days, isn't it?"

Ticked at the usage of yet another nickname, Yamamoto looked at the kid in front of him and said in a fatherly tone: "This confirms that insolence and meddling run in the family, am I right, brat?"

 _"If only you had any idea how wrong you are Yamamoto."_ , thought Ossan fondly.

There was no time for a comeback as Sasakibe returned with a tray of hot tea and several **senbei*** and **manju*** pieces in different plates. From then on, Yamamoto took care to rummage through the newly arrived set of papers, while 'Hino Tomoya' sat comfortably on a nearby chair, munching on a senbei. While Shirosaki may have liked the manju better, Ossan was far more reserved and wouldn't have minded some coffee instead of tea. Not that he would ever mention anything of the sorts while in Seireitei.

At the same time, Ossan was positive his identity issue wouldn't rise anytime soon again. Not with how Yamamoto easily seemed to calm after telling Hino to share the information with his _'family'_. Ossan was willing to bet Yamamoto confused him with a Shinigami progeny and was more than happy to let him live in the believable delusion.

Opposite from him, Yamamoto, took his time going through the reports of old. Some details were censored while others seemed a little off at least to the best of his memories. There were certain parts which left much to be desired, such as mysterious disappearances of officers and many reports of agents missing in action. The more he went through the myriad of papers, the more the situation appeared to be familiar.

 _"It is not uncommon for history to repeat itself."_ , thought the Eldest Shinigami: _"Normally, beforehand there are small signs of warning before disaster strikes. So far, we've had more than enough red flags indicating that something is amiss. Yet, there is never anything concrete from which we may move forward. Perhaps Byakuya is right in letting Hino and his partner work from the shadows. It might not be as per the book, but, with any luck, it will bring the perpetrator to light."_

Stealing another quick glance at the kid sipping tea, Yamamoto once again confirmed that there was much more to the young boy than what met the eyes. So long as no laws were broken, and no illicit actions were taken, he was more than happy to let things progress on their own.

* * *

Leaving Zangetsu to his 'sleep-time' in their shared world had been a sad event for little Ichigo. He did cheer-up a little knowing that the mighty friend was just resting and would, eventually, return to make him company. Still, to lose his only friend so suddenly was a bitter experience he hoped would never happen again.

Stretching from the bed, Ichigo rubbed his eyes removing the last bits of sleep, never noticing the pleased exhales left by two figures near the door. Before he could fully gather his wits, Ichigo was strongly hugged and caressed by his mother.

Seeing their boy finally stir from the unbreakable slumber brought a sense of peace within Masaki and a release of tension she had never experienced before. Her child was finally awake and by the looks of things, perfectly fine, hence, in her books, everything was perfect with the World.

She vaguely felt Isshin getting behind her, waiting for his chance to pounce on the unsuspecting child. At times, she wasn't sure whether she approved of Isshin's antics around Ichigo or not. It was all in good fun and it would inevitably sharpen the child's 'survival' skills. Yet, they were not in Soul Society where one had to be vigilant of anyone and everything 24/7… On second thought, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea…

Yes, the Living World was nothing like Soul Society and was definitely technologically advanced. That did not mean it was completely safe. Abductions, crimes, murders and many more issues occurred every day. Not to mention, the increasing number of Hollows around Karakura. Perhaps they should consider changing towns?

This was certainly not the first time she thought about leaving Karakura, but other factors always prevented her from going elsewhere. At first, it was her love for the city. In the short time she had spent in the little town, she grew very fond of the place. The fact that her only distant relatives were here was also a playing factor. This was also the town she first met Isshin, where she had her first date and kiss, the little angel she was holding in her hands was born in the little town as well.

Regardless of the Hollow infestation, she had to admit that Karakura was relatively calm. Compared to bigger cities, there wasn't a lot of crime going around. The neighborhood was peaceful, and the people were very pleasant. All these influences kept her from leaving.

Maybe it was her over-protectiveness that made her mind run a mile per nanosecond, but at the end of the day, she will always cherish the tiny town and its homey feeling, Hollows be damned!

Another thing she enjoyed immensely, was the fact that Ichigo rarely ever stopped her from spoiling him. She knew that Ichigo loved the attention she gave him, but at times she noticed her son avoided Isshin like a plague.

 _"Why would Ichigo have this repulsion towards Isshin? Granted, it is nice when I can hog our baby all to myself… but I can't but worry that he sees Isshin as a bad guy. I certainly hope Ichigo is not already jealous of his father. Nah… it can't be. It must have something to do with Isshin's antics that all."_

Even though she wasn't convinced that she was right, she hoped the conflict would dissipate in time. Maybe it was a mother-child thing during the first years of growing up?

At the same time, she was scared beyond words on how Ichigo would react now that the _'Inner Hollow'_ had been repressed. As per Urahara-san, Ichigo should be normal if more sensitive to tiredness and with random sleep impulses. But would her son hate them both for what they did? Did Ichigo even remember what happened? These questions plagued her, and she was aware her jitters wouldn't stop until she knew for sure. Wanting to face the issue head-, she went ahead with a mini-interrogation.

"Good morning love. Did you sleep well?"

Looking up from the hug, Ichigo wasn't so sure of how to respond: "Um… I… yes?"

The fact that the answer sounded more like a question didn't escape parent's ears, nor the detail that Ichigo tended to be a ball of energy ready to jump and run at any occasion. Perhaps taking the Hollow away had been too traumatic for their four-year-old? Still, it was a monster that would have eaten the child from the inside-out. How could they not react before it was late?

Seeing the insecurity in her son's eyes, Masaki tried a different approach.

"I'm not sure about you two, but I am starving. I was planning to make some **omurice*** but I can't do it alone. If only there was someone really good at batting eggs together…"

As anticipated Ichigo's mood turned from gloomy to cheerful in an instant.

"Me! Me! I can help!", said the boy excitedly.

"Wait a second.", interrupted Isshin: "Shouldn't I be the one to give a helping hand?"

Shaking his head in the negative the child deadpanned: "Nuh-uh. Daddy is no good cooking. Choose me mommy."

"Hm… What to do?", Masaki pretended to ponder and then she concluded: "How about this… daddy will set the table while you and I prepare lunch."

"Yes!"

Chuckling at Ichigo's happiness, Masaki watched as Isshin bounced out of the room voicing some nonsense about wicked missile-dishes and heroic sumo-chopsticks. Honestly, sometimes she was under the impression there were two kids in the house.

Before long, everyone was immersed in their own activity. Ichigo was diligently batting the eggs, while Isshin was _'fighting'_ the dishes to their _'places'_ making the entire family burst out in laughter.

 _"That was how the house should always be."_ , thought Masaki: _"Full of radiant smiles and happiness."_

"Ne, Ichigo.", unexpectedly spoke Masaki. Once the boy turned to give his mother all his attention, Masaki lowered herself to her son's eye level and continued: "Would you like to have a little brother or sister?"

A plate could be heard falling to the ground and breaking, courtesy of one stupefied Isshin, while Masaki intently stared her son straight in the eyes. Confused and a little curious, Ichigo tilted his head to the side, trying to figure out what the question was all about.

"Um… you mean like **Uyu-kun***?"

Masaki giggled, her little angel was so cute when confused. Although, she had to admit, her son's misinterpretation was completely natural. It's not as if he was old enough to know or understand how babies were born. She just hopped her child was not going to be al jealous or, heavens forbade, mean to his possible future sibling. Thinking fast, she came up with a solution.

"Not quite love. You see, just like you, Uryū-kun is already all grown-up. If you are going to have a little brother or sister, they are going to be very small… just like **Emika*** -san's **Koharu*** -kun from a few days ago."

Ichigo made a pout while trying to remember who Emika-san or Koharu-kun were. So far, he could only remember his mother's name but if what his mommy said was a given, then he met these new people recently. A blurry image of a shapely woman with long black hair holding a pale blue blanket formed in his head. Then, there was a weird noise and he was raised to see what was hidden underneath the soft fabric. He was told by his mom that it was a little boy but try as he may, he couldn't recall any noteworthy details about the encounter.

He could tell that his mom wanted something from him. Acceptance? A positive answer? He wasn't all that sure he understood what was going on but his desire to see his mother happy overruled everything else. Hesitant, hoping he was about to ask the right question, he shyly spoke:

"Um… Would it make mommy happy?"

Masaki gave her son one of her best reassuring smiles.

"Yes.", she honestly responded: "I believe it would be lovely to have a baby around the house. Then you could help me look out for them, play with them and teach them like a cool big brother."

The idea of having someone to play with was all it took to change Ichigo's uncertainty around. Kids at the playground didn't like him much for some reason, so having someone he could have fun with sounded like a dream come true and he quickly agreed: "Okay."

Masaki ruffled Ichigo's hair and stood straight again, while Ichigo resumed his duty of batting eggs together.

Isshin, who had become speechless at the mention of more kids, quietly approached Masaki from behind, hugging her and whispering softly in her ear.

"Are we having another one"

Knowing that they didn't want to interrupt Ichigo's cooking attempts, Masaki whispered back: "It's possible but not confirmed. Though, my periods are rather late."

It was all that Isshin needed to grab Masaki and twirl her around, laughing and screaming in uncontrolled happiness cooking be damned.

"Such wonderful news! Oh Kami! Our little family is about to become huge!"

Ichigo barely managed to escape being pulled into the **"mess"** as flour, rice, some vegetables and other ingredients went flying along with his mommy. He did, though, join in on the laughter and overall contagious happiness both parents radiated.

* * *

Back in Seireitei, one 'Kurohoshi Akira' was wandering around the busy streets surrounding Division Six. His partner had convinced him to search for any weaknesses or entry points which could be exploited to sneak inside the Fifth Squads' barracks.

So, what was he doing roaming around the Sixth? Turns out, all Divisions shared a similar if not totally exact layout. Any issues he could find within his own Squad could be used to enter other Divisions uninvited.

He hated to admit it, but it was a hard job. Luckily both Squads were close to one another, thus, even if he did accidentally wonder a little 'off-mark', no one would make a big fuss about it.

 _"It's been years and we are still nowhere near nailing Aizen to the wall."_ Huffed the tall male in exasperation. _"At least we're almost done with the Kuchiki mission."_

It never ceased to surprise him how Shinigami thought time was not important. Just the other day he ended up arguing with a lower seated officer about their lack of punctuality. The same could be said about Kuchiki Byakuya's third family branch. The lousy lot thought that if they took their sweet time, they would catch Byakuya off guard, eliminate the noble and take over the clan.

 _"Ha! As if. Not while Ossan and I are on the job."_ , Shirosaki mentally cheered.

It was a pity the two elusive assassins were so hard to catch in the act but at least it was a good chase. At one point, they finally managed to follow them all the way to their employer.

 _"Reminder to never wed into Noble Clans. Oh, who am I kidding, I'd rather be killed than forced into any kind of marriage."_

Growling under his breath, Shirosaki disguised as Kurohoshi neglected to pay attention to the people around him. Which is the only reason he was 'captured' by a person he had avoided as much as he could.

"Yo Kurohoshi-san. It's good to finally catch you on a day off. Want to get something to drink. My treat!" An energetic Shiba Kaien jovially spoke to his look-alike.

Ever since 'Kurohoshi Akira' and 'Hino Tomoya' graduated from the Academy, they had relentlessly avoided all rumors surrounding Akira's appearance as he was constantly compared to a certain Shiba-Fuku-taichou. At first, Shirosaki thought it was a fairy tale from over-exaggerated drunken blokes.

The first time he did see the famous Shiba, Shirosaki's heart stopped in its tracks. The guy could have easily passed for his twin. Cut his hair, change the color into a more bluish black, replace his eyes with aqua-green and add those extra long lower eyelashes and voila. You'd get two sets of Kaien in an instant.

The whole ordeal became a popular debate within the Shinigami Women Association. The crazy chicks demanded more than once to have pictures taken of both males in close quarters. Something about them resembling one another and a very high profit that could be made from the numerous members of the Kaien fan-base.

Personally, Shirosaki found the guy to be interesting, yes, but not very noteworthy. The fact that they could pass as twins ticked him off to no end. But at least those eyelashes and other differences kept him away from remembering his lost love.

 _"Heck. Compared to Ichigo, this guy is a sissy."_ Warmly thought Shirosaki: _"We may have our similarities and this guy does act a lot like him when it comes to fighting but I'd never change the original for a fake."_

Clearing his throat, Shirosaki removed Kaien's hand from his shoulder. "With all due respect Shiba Fuku-Taichou, I'm not in the mood."

"Oh, come on! How many times have I asked you to call me Kaien? We look so much alike we could pass as siblings. Admit it. You can't tell me you're not even a tiny curious about our similarities. For all I know, you could be a lost relative of mine. I can even have you adopted and make you my newest little brother."

With a tick forming on his forehead, Shirosaki dressed as Kurohoshi replied for the millionth time: "It will be a cold day in hell before I even consider joining your Clan."

"Aw. It's not that bad, I swear.", said Kaien with a tap on the other's shoulders. "Ever since uncle Isshin disappeared, our Clan has been near abolished. Which in turn gave us freedom from the shackles most nobles must live with. I dare say, our Elders have never been happier."

"Not gonna happen.", was the swift comeback: "Besides, you just want to get me drunk because you want to know about my life in the Rukongai."

"Pretty please? There are lots of people who want to know more about you and your past. Can you not indulge my curiosity at least once?"

"Nope."

"Darn.", it wasn't often that Kaien saw a hopeless situation. Most of the times, he simply pestered the person until said man gave in. With Kurohoshi, he seemed unable to win even the smallest of arguments: "You sure are a hard nutshell to pry open.", he said: "Why do you have to make things so difficult."

Without missing a beat, Shirosaki instantly responded while pretending to count on his fingers: "Because your fan-base is annoying and downright crazy, the SWA is constantly on your tail and you Shiba's have an unhealthy obsession with pranks."

Thinking over how many times he himself had fallen victim to one of his sister's jokes, Kaien could not but laugh in amusement: "Hehe… Can't argue with the latter. But the first two are not even a thing."

"You sure about that?", inquired Kurohoshi with a suspiciously large grin stretching on his face. Of all the things about the male, Kaien feared that smirk the most. It was always a good sing that shit was about to hit the fan. Which was proven when Kurohoshi merrily added: "What about that group of rabid fans?"

"What group?", wondered Kaien.

Kurohoshi pointed behind them where a cloud of dust could be seen rising high in the air. True to Kurohoshi's words, it did look like a group of females were running in their direction. Swallowing at the crowd barely visible in the distance, Kaien gave the other a perturbed look.

"Have fun escaping." Easily said Kurohoshi as if he was immensely enjoying Kaien's pain. Which the guy probably did. "Here is a piece of advice; grow **_some_** for once and propose to that chick you like. It might cool down the insane mob of girls if you settle with one."

Spluttering and blushing, Kaien considered which way he would use this time to escape the swiftly approaching group. It was true, he should probably finally ask **Miyako*** 's hand in marriage. With any luck, he'll finally be relieved of his fan-base which was open just because he was considered a bachelor.

"Noted. Though, you may want to start running as well. Bye."

With that said, Kaien took to the west in his fastest Shunpo leaving an astounded Kurohoshi behind.

 _"Damn crazy Shiba's and their antics. I'll never understand why Masaki-chan married this guy's uncle. From her old stories, he is as much of a nut-case as this guy, if not even worse. If she does give birth to Ichigo in this timeline, I sure as hell hope he doesn't inherit much of their personality."_

With that thought in mind, Shirosaki took a quick Shunpo in the same direction Kaien went, only to jump in the air and settle on the rooftops. It was just in time to hear the band of chicks yelling: "He went that way!" and charge behind one unlucky Shiba.

 _"Masaki would have told us if she had a baby, right?"_ , pondered Shirosaki: _"That sensation a few years ago… the one both Ossan and I felt… was it all just our imagination? Are we so desperate for his return we would start making things up?"_

Exhaling, Shirosaki looked at the clear skies above.

 _"Ichigo… It's been forever. Hurry up and come back. I can't stand watching all these look-alikes."_

Breathing out, Shirosaki returned his gaze back to the ground and the distant cloud which was getting father and farther away from his location.

 _"Wait… if Kaien is a Shiba and he looks so much like Ichi… does this mean Soren was also a Shiba at one point?"_

The new idea sounded plausible. It wasn't that often that people resembled each other. A connection had to be there somewhere.

 _"Guess we'll have to spend some quality time in the library and archives."_

Having made-up his mind, Kurohoshi continued his stroll as if nothing had ever happened opting to stay on the rooftops rater than return to the ground. He'd have to coerce Ossan to break into the library at night to minimize the chances of them being seen snooping around information pertaining to the Shiba Clan. There was no need to try and raise Kaien's hopes up… at least not yet…

* * *

Several weeks later, Masaki would take a pregnancy test when she noticed her monthly cycle returned. When it came out negative, she had been devastated, although she did everything in her power to make sure Ichigo wouldn't notice.

Her plan was successful in fooling her little boy but was not enough to deceive Isshin whom could read her like an open book. Exposing the newfound information saddened her but it soon passed, when Isshin offered to **_"help remedy"_** the **_"issue"_**. Needless to say, the two spent the next several weeks in what they dubbed "mission baby-maker". Having a child in the house, a clinic and other responsibilities limited their opportunities, but it never discouraged them.

Just before the end of the Year, the happy couple discovered they had even more reasons to ring in the New Year, for Masaki was confirmed pregnant with her due date being late April or early May.

As her belly grew, Ichigo became more and more animated about having siblings. A few months later, the family was told Masaki was having twin girls. During one of the check-ups, Isshin was found sitting on an uncomfortable chair and calming an overly excited Ichigo.

"Son, now you are all grown-up and you will soon have not one but two little sisters. As the big brother, it will be your duty to take care of them."

"Um… but how can I do that?", worriedly asked Ichigo while pacing around the waiting room. "I'm… I'm not big and strong like some of the other kids in the park. What if something bad happens?"

Isshin could understand his son's insecurities. After all, the kid was taking the whole **_'big brother'_** thing very seriously when Isshin wanted to just joke and make fun of his little boy. An idea popped in his head which he hopped would brighten his son's mood.

"Do you know what your name means?", asked Isshin.

Surprised by the sudden change of topics, Ichigo faltered in his steps and pondered for a few seconds before timidly inquiring: "Um…? Names have meaning?"

"Of course.", confirmed Isshin with a fond smile. Having finally managed to have Ichigo stand still, he took the boy in his lap: "Names are very important for they give us strength, energy and they guide us in life. **The difference between knowing a name and its meaning can change a person's life tenfold.*** " To demonstrate the difference, Isshin placed his palms facing each other and then stretching them as far as he could go without disturbing the nearby crowd.

"Wow.", gasped the child, trying to figure out how something small could turn so big.

"Yeah, pretty cool right?" Proudly stated Isshin. "Anyway, you, my boy, have a very important name."

"Really? What is it?", wondered the boy.

"Ichigo means **_'One Protector'_**. Actually, now that I think about it…" started Isshin while scratching behind his head: "Your full name Kurosaki Ichigo means **_'A Protector Clad in Black'_**." Chuckling, Isshin recalled the day his son was named: "At least that's what your mommy insisted on calling you."

The idea that it was his mommy that named him made Ichigo smile. Until he remembered a conversation he had had with one of the other kids a little while ago: "But doesn't Ichigo mean strawberry?"

Ruffling his son's hair, Isshin replied: "Only if it is supposed to mean that. You'll see that it all depends on how things are written and interpreted."

Confused at all the big words, Ichigo tried to argue further but was interrupted when Masaki came out from the check-up room announcing that both twins were as healthy as they could be. Any worries and doubts dispersed like dust in the wind when Masaki with a huge belly smiled at her son, who returned the affection in kind. He'd think about names and bullies later.

Late in the night of May 8th, Masaki was taken to the hospital. As per her words, the twins were coming.

Hours later and well into the late morning of May 9th the commotion was over. Ichigo was finally able to see his mother laying in a large bed holding two bundles in each arm. Seeing his son's curiosity, Isshin raised Ichigo in his arms and allowed him to see his sisters.

Both were fast asleep and so very tiny. One of them had a small tuft of black hair peeking out from the warm covers, while the other had light brown hair. As if sensing the approach of their father and brother, both babies opened their eyes revealing astonishing blue orbs. Looking at his sisters, Ichigo smiled and waved at the girls. He knew the babies couldn't possibly wave back with their arms hidden under the blankets. Though, both he and his parents were mildly surprised when the newborn infants started to gurgle and coo.

It was in that moment that Ichigo made up his mind. Seeing how joyful everyone around him was, made him want to protect and keep his family safe. He had heard about a thing called **'dojo'** where kids his age went to train **'kakate'** and get stronger. Once he would get back home with bigger family, he would demand his dad to enroll him, so he could become powerful enough to keep his family smiling.

* * *

 _Looking forward to any and all criticism as well as reviews :D_

 ** _Reminders_** _: English is not my mother language. If I made a mistake along the way, please let me know. Sorry for repeating the same parts all over again xD_

 ***Ash Daemon*** – yep… totally went there. I thought it would have been awesome if Yamamoto had had a nickname or something from the time before he assembled the Shinigami and the Academy. There is an instance in the manga where a chibi Shunsui asks Yamamoto about an old photo displaying a Shinigami engulfed in flames (poor kid never knew that was his sensei before he 'civilized' himself). At that instance, Yamamoto did say that the photo was of a demon whom should never return to Soul Society for it would spell its doom. Considering Ryūjin Jakka's Shikai command and Yamamoto's own words I thought Ash Daemon would have a nice ring to it. It sounds like the kind of nickname which could be both fearsome and easily shared among folks from all those centuries ago. Let me know what you think of it ;)

 ***Senbei*** – alternatively also written as sembei – is a type of Japanese rice crackers. They come in various shapes, sizes, and flavors, usually savory but sometimes sweet. Senbei are often eaten with green tea as a casual snack and offered to visiting house guests as a courtesy refreshment.

 ***Manju*** –a popular traditional Japanese confection. There are many varieties of manjū, but most have an outside made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat and a filling of **anko** (red bean paste), made from boiled azuki beans and sugar. They are boiled together again and kneaded.

 ***Omurice*** – a Japanese omelet dish with fried rice as filling. The rice usually has chicken for meat and a tomato flavor.

 ***Uyu*** – I thought it would be kind of cute if Ichigo as a kid had problems pronouncing certain sounds. Not sure if it's common or if it is different from country to country but lots of kids tend to have issues with saying **"r"** where I come from. I know I couldn't stop laughing for 5 min since the idea popped in my head xD

 ***Emika*** – Japanese name meaning blossoming flower. Emika-san is a fictional 'neighbor' I created specifically for this chapter, along with her son Koharu. Masaki and Ichigo bumped into her during one of their walks in the park. Not sure we will see her again, so I saw no need to go too much into details xD

 ***Koharu*** – Japanese name meaning little sun. Emika-san's newborn baby born on July 1st. Meaning Ichigo ever saw the child once, a few weeks after its birth. Masaki is using this **'encounter'** as a mean to explain how Ichigo's siblings would look like as babies. Not sure if I'll use them again during the story but it might happen. You never know when you have wild imagination :)

 ***The difference between knowing a name and its meaning can change a person's life tenfold*.** – the basis I took for this sentence is from knowing or not knowing a Zanpakuto's name or an attack. When a Shinigami knows its Zanpakuto's name, they obtain their Shikai. Which is at least 5 times stronger than a sealed blade. From there, they can learn various moves and attacks. In both the anime and manga, it is said that knowing an attack's name can make the attack 10 times stronger.

Isshin was a Taichou, so it would make sense that he would slowly try to influence Ichigo through words if nothing else. I thought it would make sense that he would do this during Ichigo's infancy while Masaki was alive. Probably, once Masaki passed away, he lost the wish to have anything to do with the Spiritual World in which point he opted to pretend not to see when Ichigo got himself involved in Shinigami business. Both because Masaki was killed by Grand Fisher after her powers were taken by the Quincy.

 _Until next time, enjoy! :D_


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